Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants Salary
The median pay for a automotive and watercraft service attendants in Rhode Island is $41,690/year ($20.05/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $44K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 101.77), that's roughly $40,965 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,544/month, about 53.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Rhode Island. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $42K get you in Rhode Island?
About automotive and watercraft service attendants
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What this looks like in Rhode Island
Rhode Island sits well above the national pay line for automotive and watercraft service attendants, local pay runs about 17% higher than the U.S. median of $36K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,544/month, which is 53.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 101.77) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Rhode Island
Entry-level automotive and watercraft service attendants (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $42K. Top earners bring in $44K or more, a $8K spread from bottom to top.
Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants salary by metro in Rhode Island
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Providence-Warwick | $35K | -17% | 360 |
Compare to other states
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Frequently asked questions
Can a automotive and watercraft service attendant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Rhode Island?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $42K, rent takes 53.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,544/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/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 Rhode Island?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new automotive and watercraft service attendants typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,192/month. At HUD’s $1,544/month FMR, rent would take 70% 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 Rhode Island?
Local pay is 17% above the national median — $42K here vs. $36K nationally.
How does Rhode Island compare to the national average for automotive and watercraft service attendants?
Rhode Island pays $42K median vs. the U.S. average of $36K — that’s +17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 101.77), the purchasing-power equivalent is $41K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do automotive and watercraft service attendants make in Rhode Island?
The median is $41,690 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,540, and experienced automotive and watercraft service attendants can clear $44,130. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $42K enough to live in Rhode Island?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,862/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,544/month, which eats 53.9% 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 Rhode Island?
Rhode Island has a Regional Price Parity of 101.77 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median automotive and watercraft service attendants salary is worth about $40,965 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.