Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics Salary
The median pay for a automotive service technicians and mechanics in Portland-South Portland, ME is $59,090/year ($28.41/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $42K at the entry level to $78K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 101.86), that's roughly $58,011 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,130/month, about 55.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $59K get you in Portland-South Portland?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Portland-South Portland’s Regional Price Parity (101.86). 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 Portland-South Portland
Portland-South Portland sits well above the national pay line for automotive service technicians and mechanics, local pay runs about 17% higher than the U.S. median of $51K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,130/month, which is 54.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 101.86) 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.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for automotive service technicians and mechanics in metros near Portland-South Portland, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Bangor | $50K | $52K |
| Lewiston-Auburn | $56K | $60K |
| Manchester-Nashua | $60K | $57K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Portland-South Portland, ME
Entry-level automotive service technicians and mechanics (10th percentile) start around $42K. Mid-career wages sit at $59K. Top earners bring in $78K or more, a $36K 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 Portland-South Portland numbers change.
Related careers in Repair & Maintenance
Frequently asked questions
Can a automotive service technicians and mechanic afford a 2BR apartment alone in Portland-South Portland?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $59K, rent takes 54.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,130/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/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 Portland-South Portland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new automotive service technicians and mechanics typically earn — is $42K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,531/month. At HUD’s $2,130/month FMR, rent would take 84% 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 Portland-South Portland?
Local pay is 17% above the national median — $59K here vs. $51K nationally.
How does Portland-South Portland compare to the national average for automotive service technicians and mechanics?
Portland-South Portland pays $59K median vs. the U.S. average of $51K — that’s +17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 101.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $58K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do automotive service technicians and mechanics make in Portland-South Portland, ME?
The median is $59,090 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $42,190, and experienced automotive service technicians and mechanics can clear $78,090. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $59K enough to live in Portland-South Portland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,896/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,130/month, which eats 54.7% 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 Portland-South Portland?
Portland-South Portland has a Regional Price Parity of 101.86 (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 service technicians and mechanics salary is worth about $58,011 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.