Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists Salary
In Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ, bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists earn $56,200 at the median, or about $27.02 an hour. The range runs from $42K at the entry level to $87K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.1), which stretches that salary to about $59,724 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,365/month, about 36.3% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $56K get you in Lake Havasu City-Kingman?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Lake Havasu City-Kingman’s Regional Price Parity (94.1). 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 Lake Havasu City-Kingman
Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists pay in Lake Havasu City-Kingman tracks closely to the national median, $56K locally vs. $62K nationwide, a 9% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,365/month, which is 35.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.1 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% 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 Lake Havasu City-Kingman, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler | $63K | $61K |
| Tucson | $60K | $62K |
| Prescott Valley-Prescott | $57K | $58K |
| Yuma | $58K | $63K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ
Entry-level bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists (10th percentile) start around $42K. Mid-career wages sit at $56K. Top earners bring in $87K or more, a $45K 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 Lake Havasu City-Kingman?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $56K, rent takes 35.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,365/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 Lake Havasu City-Kingman?
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 $2,498/month. At HUD’s $1,365/month FMR, rent would take 55% 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 Lake Havasu City-Kingman?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $56K locally vs. $62K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Lake Havasu City-Kingman compare to the national average for bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists?
Lake Havasu City-Kingman pays $56K median vs. the U.S. average of $62K — that’s -9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.1), the purchasing-power equivalent is $60K — below the national median.
How much do bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists make in Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ?
The median is $56,200 a year, that works out to about $27 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $41,630, and experienced bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists can clear $86,550. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $56K enough to live in Lake Havasu City-Kingman?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,816/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,365/month, which eats 35.8% 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 Lake Havasu City-Kingman?
Lake Havasu City-Kingman has a Regional Price Parity of 94.1 (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 $59,724 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.