Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists Salary
In Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL, bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists earn $50,530 at the median, or about $24.3 an hour. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $75K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.69), which stretches that salary to about $53,364 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,345/month, about 40.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $51K get you in Daphne-Fairhope-Foley?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Daphne-Fairhope-Foley’s Regional Price Parity (94.69). 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 Daphne-Fairhope-Foley
Pay for bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists in Daphne-Fairhope-Foley runs about 18% below the U.S. median of $62K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,345/month, which is 40.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.69 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialistss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists in metros near Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | $55K | $60K |
| Mobile | $50K | $57K |
| Huntsville | $55K | $59K |
| Montgomery | $52K | $58K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL
Entry-level bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $51K. Top earners bring in $75K or more, a $37K 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 Daphne-Fairhope-Foley?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $51K, rent takes 40.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,345/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/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 Daphne-Fairhope-Foley?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,248/month. At HUD’s $1,345/month FMR, rent would take 60% 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 Daphne-Fairhope-Foley?
Local pay runs 18% below the national median — $51K here vs. $62K nationally. Cost of living is 5% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Daphne-Fairhope-Foley compare to the national average for bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists?
Daphne-Fairhope-Foley pays $51K median vs. the U.S. average of $62K — that’s -18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.69), the purchasing-power equivalent is $53K — below the national median.
How much do bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists make in Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL?
The median is $50,530 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,460, and experienced bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists can clear $74,700. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $51K enough to live in Daphne-Fairhope-Foley?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,356/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,345/month, which eats 40.1% 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 Daphne-Fairhope-Foley?
Daphne-Fairhope-Foley has a Regional Price Parity of 94.69 (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 $53,364 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.