Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics Salary
The median pay for a automotive service technicians and mechanics in Vallejo, CA is $69,710/year ($33.51/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $44K at the entry level to $99K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.48), so that salary is closer to $64,261 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,178/month, about 47.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $70K get you in Vallejo?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Vallejo’s Regional Price Parity (108.48). 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 Vallejo
Vallejo sits well above the national pay line for automotive service technicians and mechanics, local pay runs about 38% 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 $2,178/month, which is 47.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 8% above the national average (BEA RPP 108.48), so groceries and services cost more too. 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 Vallejo, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $63K | $55K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $64K | $60K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $76K | $66K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $64K | $57K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Vallejo, CA
Entry-level automotive service technicians and mechanics (10th percentile) start around $44K. Mid-career wages sit at $70K. Top earners bring in $99K or more, a $54K 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
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Frequently asked questions
Can a automotive service technicians and mechanic afford a 2BR apartment alone in Vallejo?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $70K, rent takes 47.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,178/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,400/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 Vallejo?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new automotive service technicians and mechanics typically earn — is $44K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,669/month. At HUD’s $2,178/month FMR, rent would take 82% 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 Vallejo?
Local pay is 38% above the national median — $70K here vs. $51K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 8% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Vallejo compare to the national average for automotive service technicians and mechanics?
Vallejo pays $70K median vs. the U.S. average of $51K — that’s +38%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.48), the purchasing-power equivalent is $64K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do automotive service technicians and mechanics make in Vallejo, CA?
The median is $69,710 a year, that works out to about $34 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $44,490, and experienced automotive service technicians and mechanics can clear $98,530. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $70K enough to live in Vallejo?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,563/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,178/month, which eats 47.7% 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 Vallejo?
Vallejo has a Regional Price Parity of 108.48 (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 $64,261 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.