Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists Salary
In Florence, SC, bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists earn $49,990 at the median, or about $24.03 an hour. The range runs from $43K at the entry level to $73K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 86.77), which stretches that salary to about $57,612 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,098/month, about 32.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $50K get you in Florence?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Florence’s Regional Price Parity (86.77). 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 Florence
Pay for bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists in Florence runs about 19% below the U.S. median of $62K. Rent runs $1,098/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32.4% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 86.77 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% 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 Florence, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $58K | $63K |
| Charleston-North Charleston | $61K | $60K |
| Columbia | $60K | $64K |
| Spartanburg | $61K | $67K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Florence, SC
Entry-level bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists (10th percentile) start around $43K. Mid-career wages sit at $50K. Top earners bring in $73K or more, a $30K 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 Florence?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $50K, rent takes 32.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,098/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 Florence?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists typically earn — is $43K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,554/month. At HUD’s $1,098/month FMR, rent would take 43% 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 Florence?
Local pay runs 19% below the national median — $50K here vs. $62K nationally. Cost of living is 13% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Florence compare to the national average for bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists?
Florence pays $50K median vs. the U.S. average of $62K — that’s -19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 86.77), the purchasing-power equivalent is $58K — below the national median.
How much do bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists make in Florence, SC?
The median is $49,990 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $42,570, and experienced bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists can clear $72,800. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $50K enough to live in Florence?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,386/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,098/month, which eats 32.4% 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 Florence?
Florence has a Regional Price Parity of 86.77 (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 $57,612 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.