Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists Salary
In Paducah, KY-IL, bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists earn $78,900 at the median, or about $37.93 an hour. The range runs from $46K at the entry level to $102K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 86.08), which stretches that salary to about $91,659 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,058/month, or 20.4% of estimated take-home pay.
Where the paycheck goes
What $79K actually covers in Paducah, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Paducah’s Regional Price Parity (86.08). 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 Paducah
Paducah sits well above the national pay line for bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists, local pay runs about 28% higher than the U.S. median of $62K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,058/month, 20.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 86.08 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 14% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Paducah offers a genuinely strong financial position for bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists in metros near Paducah, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Louisville/Jefferson County | $61K | $66K |
| Lexington-Fayette | $57K | $62K |
| Bowling Green | $52K | $58K |
| Elizabethtown | $53K | $59K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Paducah, KY-IL
Entry-level bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists (10th percentile) start around $46K. Mid-career wages sit at $79K. Top earners bring in $102K or more, a $57K 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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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 Paducah?
Yes — at the median salary of $79K, rent takes 20.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,058/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 Paducah?
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 $3,081/month. At HUD’s $1,058/month FMR, rent would take 34% 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 Paducah?
Local pay is 28% above the national median — $79K here vs. $62K nationally.
How does Paducah compare to the national average for bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists?
Paducah pays $79K median vs. the U.S. average of $62K — that’s +28%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 86.08), the purchasing-power equivalent is $92K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists make in Paducah, KY-IL?
The median is $78,900 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $45,760, and experienced bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists can clear $102,330. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $79K enough to live in Paducah?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,061/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,058/month, which eats 20.9% 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 Paducah?
Paducah has a Regional Price Parity of 86.08 (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 $91,659 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.