Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists Salary
In Killeen-Temple, TX, bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists earn $54,400 at the median, or about $26.15 an hour. The range runs from $42K at the entry level to $70K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.13), which stretches that salary to about $59,695 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,233/month, about 32.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $54K actually covers in Killeen-Temple, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Killeen-Temple’s Regional Price Parity (91.13). 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 Killeen-Temple
Pay for bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists in Killeen-Temple runs about 12% below the U.S. median of $62K. Rent runs $1,233/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.13 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% 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 Killeen-Temple, 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, Killeen-Temple, TX
Entry-level bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists (10th percentile) start around $42K. Mid-career wages sit at $54K. Top earners bring in $70K or more, a $28K 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)
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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 Killeen-Temple?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $54K, rent takes 32.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,233/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/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 Killeen-Temple?
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 $2,971/month. At HUD’s $1,233/month FMR, rent would take 42% 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 Killeen-Temple?
Local pay runs 12% below the national median — $54K here vs. $62K nationally. Cost of living is 9% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Killeen-Temple compare to the national average for bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists?
Killeen-Temple pays $54K median vs. the U.S. average of $62K — that’s -12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.13), the purchasing-power equivalent is $60K — below the national median.
How much do bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists make in Killeen-Temple, TX?
The median is $54,400 a year, that works out to about $26 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $41,840, and experienced bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists can clear $69,530. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $54K enough to live in Killeen-Temple?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,812/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,233/month, which eats 32.3% 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 Killeen-Temple?
Killeen-Temple has a Regional Price Parity of 91.13 (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 $59,695 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.