Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists Salary
In Cedar Rapids, IA, bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists earn $60,010 at the median, or about $28.85 an hour. The range runs from $46K at the entry level to $88K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.96), which stretches that salary to about $67,457 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $956/month, or 24.2% of estimated take-home pay.
Where the paycheck goes
What $60K actually covers in Cedar Rapids, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Cedar Rapids’s Regional Price Parity (88.96). 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 Cedar Rapids
Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists pay in Cedar Rapids tracks closely to the national median, $60K locally vs. $62K nationwide, a 3% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $956/month, 24.3% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.96 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% 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 Cedar Rapids, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $62K | $67K |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $61K | $69K |
| Sioux City | $61K | $70K |
| Dubuque | $58K | $66K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Cedar Rapids, IA
Entry-level bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists (10th percentile) start around $46K. Mid-career wages sit at $60K. Top earners bring in $88K or more, a $42K 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 Cedar Rapids numbers change.
Related careers in Repair & Maintenance
Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Cedar Rapids?
Yes — at the median salary of $60K, rent takes 24.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $956/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 Cedar Rapids?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists typically earn — is $46K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,086/month. At HUD’s $956/month FMR, rent would take 31% 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 Cedar Rapids?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $60K locally vs. $62K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Cedar Rapids compare to the national average for bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists?
Cedar Rapids pays $60K median vs. the U.S. average of $62K — that’s -3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.96), the purchasing-power equivalent is $67K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists make in Cedar Rapids, IA?
The median is $60,010 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $46,310, and experienced bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists can clear $88,090. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $60K enough to live in Cedar Rapids?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,938/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $956/month, which eats 24.3% 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 Cedar Rapids?
Cedar Rapids has a Regional Price Parity of 88.96 (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 $67,457 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.