Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics Salary
The median pay for a automotive service technicians and mechanics in Mississippi is $37,820/year ($18.18/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $29K at the entry level to $74K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.9), which stretches that salary to about $42,542 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,077/month, about 41.8% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Mississippi. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $38K get you in Mississippi?
About automotive service technicians and mechanics
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What this looks like in Mississippi
Pay for automotive service technicians and mechanics in Mississippi runs about 25% below the U.S. median of $51K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,077/month, which is 42.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.9 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for automotive service technicians and mechanicss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Mississippi
Entry-level automotive service technicians and mechanics (10th percentile) start around $29K. Mid-career wages sit at $38K. Top earners bring in $74K or more, a $45K spread from bottom to top.
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics salary by metro in Mississippi
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gulfport-Biloxi | $39K | +3% | 980 |
| Jackson | $38K | +1% | 1,900 |
| Hattiesburg | $38K | -0% | 430 |
Compare to other states
Track automotive service technicians and mechanics salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Mississippi numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a automotive service technicians and mechanic afford a 2BR apartment alone in Mississippi?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $38K, rent takes 42.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,077/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/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 Mississippi?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new automotive service technicians and mechanics typically earn — is $29K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,719/month. At HUD’s $1,077/month FMR, rent would take 63% 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 Mississippi?
Local pay runs 25% below the national median — $38K here vs. $51K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Mississippi compare to the national average for automotive service technicians and mechanics?
Mississippi pays $38K median vs. the U.S. average of $51K — that’s -25%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.9), the purchasing-power equivalent is $43K — below the national median.
How much do automotive service technicians and mechanics make in Mississippi?
The median is $37,820 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $28,650, and experienced automotive service technicians and mechanics can clear $74,000. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $38K enough to live in Mississippi?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,554/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,077/month, which eats 42.2% 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 Mississippi?
Mississippi has a Regional Price Parity of 88.9 (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 $42,542 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.