Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants Salary
The median pay for a automotive and watercraft service attendants in North Carolina is $33,680/year ($16.19/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $29K at the entry level to $42K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.66), which stretches that salary to about $36,348 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,284/month, about 54.9% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across North Carolina. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $34K get you in North Carolina?
About automotive and watercraft service attendants
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What this looks like in North Carolina
Automotive and watercraft service attendants pay in North Carolina tracks closely to the national median, $34K locally vs. $36K nationwide, a 6% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,284/month, which is 55.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.66 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, North Carolina
Entry-level automotive and watercraft service attendants (10th percentile) start around $29K. Mid-career wages sit at $34K. Top earners bring in $42K or more, a $13K spread from bottom to top.
Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants salary by metro in North Carolina
13 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $35K | +4% | 600 |
| Wilmington | $35K | +4% | 160 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton | $35K | +3% | 80 |
| Raleigh-Cary | $35K | +3% | 360 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $34K | +1% | 120 |
| Greensboro-High Point | $33K | -3% | 170 |
| Asheville | $32K | -5% | 170 |
| Burlington | $32K | -5% | 90 |
| Winston-Salem | $31K | -7% | 170 |
| Goldsboro | $30K | -9% | 30 |
| Greenville | $30K | -10% | 60 |
| Rocky Mount | $30K | -10% | 70 |
| Jacksonville | $30K | -10% | 50 |
Showing 1–10 of 13 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when North Carolina numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a automotive and watercraft service attendant afford a 2BR apartment alone in North Carolina?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $34K, rent takes 55.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,284/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 North Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new automotive and watercraft service attendants typically earn — is $29K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,735/month. At HUD’s $1,284/month FMR, rent would take 74% 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 North Carolina?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $34K locally vs. $36K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does North Carolina compare to the national average for automotive and watercraft service attendants?
North Carolina pays $34K median vs. the U.S. average of $36K — that’s -6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $36K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do automotive and watercraft service attendants make in North Carolina?
The median is $33,680 a year, that works out to about $16 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $28,920, and experienced automotive and watercraft service attendants can clear $42,160. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $34K enough to live in North Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,299/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,284/month, which eats 55.9% 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 North Carolina?
North Carolina has a Regional Price Parity of 92.66 (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 $36,348 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.