Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists Salary
In Bozeman, MT, bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists earn $63,910 at the median, or about $30.72 an hour. The range runs from $51K at the entry level to $82K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 102.51), that's roughly $62,345 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,154/month, about 51.3% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $64K get you in Bozeman?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Bozeman’s Regional Price Parity (102.51). 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 bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Bozeman
Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists pay in Bozeman tracks closely to the national median, $64K locally vs. $62K nationwide, a 3% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,154/month, which is 51% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 102.51) 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 bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists in metros near Bozeman, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Billings | $61K | $65K |
| Missoula | $61K | $64K |
| Great Falls | $55K | $57K |
| Helena | $64K | $67K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Bozeman, MT
Entry-level bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists (10th percentile) start around $51K. Mid-career wages sit at $64K. Top earners bring in $82K or more, a $31K spread from bottom to top.
Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $80K | +30% | 690 |
| Washington | $78K | +26% | 7,410 |
| Alaska | $76K | +22% | 860 |
| Maryland | $75K | +21% | 3,030 |
| California | $74K | +20% | 20,940 |
| Massachusetts | $73K | +19% | 4,870 |
| New Jersey | $72K | +17% | 8,160 |
| New Hampshire | $71K | +16% | 1,040 |
| Colorado | $70K | +14% | 4,600 |
| New York | $70K | +13% | 13,230 |
| Nevada | $68K | +11% | 1,990 |
| Connecticut | $67K | +9% | 2,860 |
| Rhode Island | $67K | +9% | 350 |
| Minnesota | $67K | +8% | 7,300 |
| North Dakota | $66K | +7% | 1,790 |
| District of Columbia | $65K | +6% | 110 |
| Utah | $64K | +4% | 2,690 |
| Illinois | $64K | +4% | 11,320 |
| Oregon | $64K | +4% | 3,770 |
| Delaware | $64K | +3% | 670 |
| Wisconsin | $62K | +1% | 6,750 |
| Pennsylvania | $62K | -0% | 12,630 |
| Arizona | $62K | -0% | 5,140 |
| Wyoming | $62K | -0% | 1,100 |
| Michigan | $61K | -1% | 9,020 |
| Georgia | $61K | -1% | 10,910 |
| Virginia | $61K | -1% | 8,070 |
| Maine | $61K | -1% | 1,380 |
| Indiana | $61K | -2% | 8,840 |
| Florida | $60K | -2% | 14,900 |
| Ohio | $60K | -2% | 14,240 |
| Montana | $60K | -3% | 1,230 |
| Iowa | $60K | -3% | 4,140 |
| Kansas | $59K | -4% | 3,300 |
| Vermont | $59K | -4% | 550 |
| Missouri | $59K | -4% | 6,780 |
| South Carolina | $59K | -4% | 3,360 |
| Idaho | $59K | -4% | 1,930 |
| Tennessee | $59K | -4% | 5,720 |
| Nebraska | $59K | -4% | 2,720 |
| Texas | $59K | -5% | 29,870 |
| Louisiana | $59K | -5% | 3,270 |
| South Dakota | $58K | -6% | 1,340 |
| North Carolina | $57K | -7% | 11,070 |
| New Mexico | $56K | -9% | 1,740 |
| Kentucky | $55K | -10% | 3,890 |
| Oklahoma | $55K | -10% | 3,970 |
| Mississippi | $54K | -12% | 3,140 |
| Arkansas | $52K | -15% | 4,090 |
| Alabama | $50K | -18% | 6,130 |
| West Virginia | $47K | -25% | 1,040 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Bozeman numbers change.
Related careers in Repair & Maintenance
Frequently asked questions
Can a bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Bozeman?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $64K, rent takes 51% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,154/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists in Bozeman?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists typically earn — is $51K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,061/month. At HUD’s $2,154/month FMR, rent would take 70% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialist a high-paying job in Bozeman?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $64K locally vs. $62K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Bozeman compare to the national average for bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists?
Bozeman pays $64K median vs. the U.S. average of $62K — that’s +3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 102.51), the purchasing-power equivalent is $62K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists make in Bozeman, MT?
The median is $63,910 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $51,010, and experienced bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists can clear $81,960. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $64K enough to live in Bozeman?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,224/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,154/month, which eats 51% 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 bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists salary go in Bozeman?
Bozeman has a Regional Price Parity of 102.51 (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 bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists salary is worth about $62,345 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists 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.