Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists Salary
In Brownsville-Harlingen, TX, bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists earn $50,540 at the median, or about $24.3 an hour. The range runs from $42K at the entry level to $64K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 85.97), which stretches that salary to about $58,788 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,047/month, or 29.8% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $51K get you in Brownsville-Harlingen?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Brownsville-Harlingen’s Regional Price Parity (85.97). 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
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What this looks like in Brownsville-Harlingen
Pay for bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists in Brownsville-Harlingen runs about 18% below the U.S. median of $62K. Rent runs $1,047/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29.5% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 85.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 14% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. 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 Brownsville-Harlingen, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $60K | $59K |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $61K | $62K |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $59K | $62K |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $61K | $62K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Brownsville-Harlingen, TX
Entry-level bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists (10th percentile) start around $42K. Mid-career wages sit at $51K. Top earners bring in $64K or more, a $22K 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
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Frequently asked questions
Can a bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Brownsville-Harlingen?
Yes — at the median salary of $51K, rent takes 29.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,047/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists in Brownsville-Harlingen?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists typically earn — is $42K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,531/month. At HUD’s $1,047/month FMR, rent would take 41% 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 Brownsville-Harlingen?
Local pay runs 18% below the national median — $51K here vs. $62K nationally. Cost of living is 14% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Brownsville-Harlingen compare to the national average for bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists?
Brownsville-Harlingen pays $51K median vs. the U.S. average of $62K — that’s -18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 85.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $59K — below the national median.
How much do bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists make in Brownsville-Harlingen, TX?
The median is $50,540 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $42,180, and experienced bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists can clear $64,340. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $51K enough to live in Brownsville-Harlingen?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,554/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,047/month, which eats 29.5% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists salary go in Brownsville-Harlingen?
Brownsville-Harlingen has a Regional Price Parity of 85.97 (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 bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists salary is worth about $58,788 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.