Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants Salary
The median pay for a automotive and watercraft service attendants in Raleigh-Cary, NC is $34,750/year ($16.71/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $29K at the entry level to $45K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.16), that's roughly $35,401 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,750/month, about 72.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $35K get you in Raleigh-Cary?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Raleigh-Cary’s Regional Price Parity (98.16). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About automotive and watercraft service attendants
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What this looks like in Raleigh-Cary
Automotive and watercraft service attendants pay in Raleigh-Cary tracks closely to the national median, $35K locally vs. $36K nationwide, a 3% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,750/month, which is 74% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.16) 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.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for automotive and watercraft service attendants in metros near Raleigh-Cary, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $35K | $36K |
| Winston-Salem | $31K | $34K |
| Greensboro-High Point | $33K | $35K |
| Asheville | $32K | $33K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Raleigh-Cary, NC
Entry-level automotive and watercraft service attendants (10th percentile) start around $29K. Mid-career wages sit at $35K. Top earners bring in $45K or more, a $15K spread from bottom to top.
Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $44K | +22% | 270 |
| California | $42K | +17% | 10,190 |
| District of Columbia | $42K | +17% | N/A |
| Rhode Island | $42K | +17% | 120 |
| Connecticut | $42K | +17% | 420 |
| Alaska | $42K | +17% | 280 |
| New Hampshire | $40K | +12% | 200 |
| Washington | $39K | +11% | 2,620 |
| Montana | $39K | +8% | 460 |
| Vermont | $39K | +8% | 170 |
| Colorado | $38K | +8% | 2,980 |
| Missouri | $38K | +7% | 1,150 |
| Maryland | $38K | +5% | 1,060 |
| Nevada | $38K | +5% | 250 |
| Minnesota | $37K | +5% | 1,230 |
| New York | $37K | +4% | 3,770 |
| Utah | $37K | +4% | 890 |
| North Dakota | $37K | +3% | 500 |
| Wyoming | $37K | +3% | 280 |
| Wisconsin | $37K | +2% | 2,770 |
| Delaware | $37K | +2% | 370 |
| South Dakota | $36K | +1% | 650 |
| Illinois | $36K | +1% | 1,940 |
| South Carolina | $36K | +1% | 220 |
| Arizona | $36K | +0% | 1,710 |
| Indiana | $36K | +0% | 3,090 |
| Massachusetts | $36K | +0% | 1,850 |
| Idaho | $36K | -0% | 480 |
| Kansas | $35K | -1% | 1,500 |
| New Jersey | $35K | -1% | 11,050 |
| Ohio | $35K | -2% | 2,930 |
| Nebraska | $35K | -2% | 910 |
| Florida | $35K | -2% | 5,150 |
| Arkansas | $35K | -3% | 870 |
| Oregon | $34K | -4% | 6,270 |
| North Carolina | $34K | -6% | 2,790 |
| Texas | $34K | -6% | 6,880 |
| Maine | $32K | -9% | 680 |
| Tennessee | $32K | -10% | 2,840 |
| Oklahoma | $32K | -11% | 1,270 |
| Pennsylvania | $32K | -12% | 1,580 |
| Kentucky | $31K | -12% | 1,220 |
| Michigan | $31K | -12% | 3,390 |
| Georgia | $31K | -13% | 4,210 |
| New Mexico | $31K | -13% | N/A |
| Mississippi | $31K | -14% | 350 |
| Iowa | $31K | -14% | 340 |
| Virginia | $30K | -15% | 4,060 |
| Alabama | $29K | -18% | 2,150 |
| Louisiana | $29K | -18% | 1,150 |
| West Virginia | $28K | -21% | 200 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track automotive and watercraft service attendants salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a automotive and watercraft service attendant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Raleigh-Cary?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $35K, rent takes 74% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,750/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 Raleigh-Cary?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new automotive and watercraft service attendants typically earn — is $29K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,768/month. At HUD’s $1,750/month FMR, rent would take 99% 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 Raleigh-Cary?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $35K locally vs. $36K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Raleigh-Cary compare to the national average for automotive and watercraft service attendants?
Raleigh-Cary pays $35K median vs. the U.S. average of $36K — that’s -3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.16), the purchasing-power equivalent is $35K — below the national median.
How much do automotive and watercraft service attendants make in Raleigh-Cary, NC?
The median is $34,750 a year, that works out to about $17 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $29,470, and experienced automotive and watercraft service attendants can clear $44,520. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $35K enough to live in Raleigh-Cary?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,366/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,750/month, which eats 74% 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 Raleigh-Cary?
Raleigh-Cary has a Regional Price Parity of 98.16 (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 $35,401 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.