Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants Salary
The median pay for a automotive and watercraft service attendants in Topeka, KS is $34,230/year ($16.46/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $29K at the entry level to $43K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.82), which stretches that salary to about $38,539 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,057/month, about 45.3% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $34K get you in Topeka?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Topeka’s Regional Price Parity (88.82). 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 Topeka
Automotive and watercraft service attendants pay in Topeka tracks closely to the national median, $34K locally vs. $36K nationwide, a 4% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,057/month, which is 44.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.82 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. 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 Topeka, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Wichita | $32K | $36K |
| Manhattan | $35K | $39K |
| Lawrence | $36K | $40K |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $39K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Topeka, KS
Entry-level automotive and watercraft service attendants (10th percentile) start around $29K. Mid-career wages sit at $34K. Top earners bring in $43K or more, a $14K 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 Topeka?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $34K, rent takes 44.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,057/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 Topeka?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new automotive and watercraft service attendants typically earn — is $29K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,769/month. At HUD’s $1,057/month FMR, rent would take 60% 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 Topeka?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $34K locally vs. $36K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Topeka compare to the national average for automotive and watercraft service attendants?
Topeka pays $34K median vs. the U.S. average of $36K — that’s -4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.82), the purchasing-power equivalent is $39K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do automotive and watercraft service attendants make in Topeka, KS?
The median is $34,230 a year, that works out to about $16 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $29,480, and experienced automotive and watercraft service attendants can clear $43,270. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $34K enough to live in Topeka?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,354/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,057/month, which eats 44.9% 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 Topeka?
Topeka has a Regional Price Parity of 88.82 (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 $38,539 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.