Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics Salary
The median pay for a automotive service technicians and mechanics in Longview-Kelso, WA is $54,080/year ($26/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $96K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.55), that's roughly $55,438 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,451/month, about 38.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $54K get you in Longview-Kelso?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Longview-Kelso’s Regional Price Parity (97.55). 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 service technicians and mechanics
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What this looks like in Longview-Kelso
Automotive service technicians and mechanics pay in Longview-Kelso tracks closely to the national median, $54K locally vs. $51K nationwide, a 7% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,451/month, which is 38.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 97.55) 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 service technicians and mechanics in metros near Longview-Kelso, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | $59K | $53K |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley | $55K | $55K |
| Kennewick-Richland | $53K | $53K |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard | $54K | $51K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Longview-Kelso, WA
Entry-level automotive service technicians and mechanics (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $54K. Top earners bring in $96K or more, a $56K spread from bottom to top.
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $69K | +36% | 310 |
| California | $65K | +28% | 65,420 |
| Colorado | $61K | +21% | 12,300 |
| Alaska | $61K | +20% | 1,420 |
| Massachusetts | $61K | +20% | 12,710 |
| Connecticut | $60K | +19% | 6,960 |
| Virginia | $59K | +17% | 17,880 |
| New Hampshire | $59K | +17% | 4,840 |
| Montana | $59K | +16% | 2,900 |
| Oregon | $59K | +16% | 6,990 |
| Delaware | $58K | +15% | 1,910 |
| Minnesota | $58K | +15% | 11,980 |
| Maryland | $58K | +14% | 14,230 |
| North Dakota | $57K | +13% | 2,140 |
| Washington | $57K | +13% | 12,930 |
| New Jersey | $57K | +12% | 17,640 |
| Wisconsin | $54K | +7% | 12,270 |
| Michigan | $54K | +7% | 22,280 |
| New York | $54K | +7% | 32,020 |
| Hawaii | $52K | +3% | 2,710 |
| Maine | $52K | +3% | 3,390 |
| Rhode Island | $52K | +2% | 2,530 |
| Vermont | $52K | +2% | 1,610 |
| Wyoming | $51K | +1% | 1,560 |
| South Dakota | $51K | +1% | 2,010 |
| Nebraska | $51K | -0% | 4,560 |
| Iowa | $51K | -0% | 7,610 |
| Tennessee | $50K | -1% | 16,210 |
| Pennsylvania | $50K | -2% | 29,400 |
| Arizona | $50K | -2% | 16,400 |
| Indiana | $49K | -2% | 16,480 |
| Illinois | $49K | -3% | 29,510 |
| Missouri | $49K | -3% | 17,210 |
| Georgia | $49K | -3% | 22,070 |
| Ohio | $49K | -4% | 22,640 |
| Idaho | $48K | -4% | 5,030 |
| Texas | $48K | -5% | 69,750 |
| Nevada | $48K | -5% | 7,420 |
| Florida | $48K | -5% | 49,930 |
| North Carolina | $48K | -5% | 26,510 |
| South Carolina | $48K | -5% | 13,420 |
| Kansas | $48K | -6% | 6,240 |
| New Mexico | $47K | -7% | 5,080 |
| Utah | $47K | -8% | 9,350 |
| Oklahoma | $47K | -8% | 8,870 |
| Louisiana | $46K | -8% | 8,620 |
| Alabama | $46K | -10% | 9,040 |
| Kentucky | $45K | -11% | 11,140 |
| Arkansas | $44K | -13% | 7,310 |
| Mississippi | $38K | -25% | 7,410 |
| West Virginia | $38K | -26% | 4,490 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track automotive service technicians and mechanics salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Longview-Kelso numbers change.
Related careers in Repair & Maintenance
Frequently asked questions
Can a automotive service technicians and mechanic afford a 2BR apartment alone in Longview-Kelso?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $54K, rent takes 38.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,451/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for automotive service technicians and mechanics in Longview-Kelso?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new automotive service technicians and mechanics typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,366/month. At HUD’s $1,451/month FMR, rent would take 61% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is automotive service technicians and mechanic a high-paying job in Longview-Kelso?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $54K locally vs. $51K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Longview-Kelso compare to the national average for automotive service technicians and mechanics?
Longview-Kelso pays $54K median vs. the U.S. average of $51K — that’s +7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.55), the purchasing-power equivalent is $55K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do automotive service technicians and mechanics make in Longview-Kelso, WA?
The median is $54,080 a year, that works out to about $26 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,430, and experienced automotive service technicians and mechanics can clear $95,610. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $54K enough to live in Longview-Kelso?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,791/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,451/month, which eats 38.3% 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 service technicians and mechanics salary go in Longview-Kelso?
Longview-Kelso has a Regional Price Parity of 97.55 (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 service technicians and mechanics salary is worth about $55,438 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do automotive service technicians and mechanics 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.