Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics Salary
The median pay for a automotive service technicians and mechanics in Owensboro, KY is $43,900/year ($21.11/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $72K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.61), which stretches that salary to about $49,543 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,110/month, about 37.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $44K get you in Owensboro?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Owensboro’s Regional Price Parity (88.61). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Owensboro
Pay for automotive service technicians and mechanics in Owensboro runs about 13% below the U.S. median of $51K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,110/month, which is 37.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.61 (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.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for automotive service technicians and mechanics in metros near Owensboro, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Louisville/Jefferson County | $47K | $51K |
| Lexington-Fayette | $46K | $50K |
| Bowling Green | $43K | $48K |
| Elizabethtown | $42K | $46K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Owensboro, KY
Entry-level automotive service technicians and mechanics (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $44K. Top earners bring in $72K or more, a $41K 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 Owensboro numbers change.
Related careers in Repair & Maintenance
Frequently asked questions
Can a automotive service technicians and mechanic afford a 2BR apartment alone in Owensboro?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $44K, rent takes 37.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,110/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 service technicians and mechanics in Owensboro?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new automotive service technicians and mechanics typically earn — is $31K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,843/month. At HUD’s $1,110/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 service technicians and mechanic a high-paying job in Owensboro?
Local pay runs 13% below the national median — $44K here vs. $51K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Owensboro compare to the national average for automotive service technicians and mechanics?
Owensboro pays $44K median vs. the U.S. average of $51K — that’s -13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.61), the purchasing-power equivalent is $50K — below the national median.
How much do automotive service technicians and mechanics make in Owensboro, KY?
The median is $43,900 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $30,710, and experienced automotive service technicians and mechanics can clear $71,800. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $44K enough to live in Owensboro?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,963/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,110/month, which eats 37.5% 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 Owensboro?
Owensboro has a Regional Price Parity of 88.61 (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 $49,543 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.