Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants Salary
The median pay for a automotive and watercraft service attendants in New Jersey is $35,350/year ($17/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $45K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 99.34), that's roughly $35,585 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,067/month, about 84.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across New Jersey. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $35K get you in New Jersey?
About automotive and watercraft service attendants
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What this looks like in New Jersey
Automotive and watercraft service attendants pay in New Jersey tracks closely to the national median, $35K locally vs. $36K nationwide, a 1% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,067/month, which is 83% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 99.34) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, New Jersey
Entry-level automotive and watercraft service attendants (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $35K. Top earners bring in $45K or more, a $13K spread from bottom to top.
Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants salary by metro in New Jersey
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trenton-Princeton | $35K | +0% | 460 |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton | $35K | -0% | 610 |
| Vineland | $34K | -3% | 290 |
Compare to other states
Track automotive and watercraft service attendants salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when New Jersey numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a automotive and watercraft service attendant afford a 2BR apartment alone in New Jersey?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $35K, rent takes 83% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,067/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for automotive and watercraft service attendants in New Jersey?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new automotive and watercraft service attendants typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,933/month. At HUD’s $2,067/month FMR, rent would take 107% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is automotive and watercraft service attendant a high-paying job in New Jersey?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $35K locally vs. $36K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does New Jersey compare to the national average for automotive and watercraft service attendants?
New Jersey pays $35K median vs. the U.S. average of $36K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 99.34), the purchasing-power equivalent is $36K — below the national median.
How much do automotive and watercraft service attendants make in New Jersey?
The median is $35,350 a year, that works out to about $17 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $32,220, and experienced automotive and watercraft service attendants can clear $44,840. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $35K enough to live in New Jersey?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,491/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,067/month, which eats 83% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a automotive and watercraft service attendants salary go in New Jersey?
New Jersey has a Regional Price Parity of 99.34 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median automotive and watercraft service attendants salary is worth about $35,585 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do automotive and watercraft service attendants get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.