Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists Salary
In Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL, bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists earn $51,020 at the median, or about $24.53 an hour. The range runs from $41K at the entry level to $74K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.3), that's roughly $52,436 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,017/month, or 28.7% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $51K get you in Panama City-Panama City Beach?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Panama City-Panama City Beach’s Regional Price Parity (97.3). 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 Panama City-Panama City Beach
Pay for bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists in Panama City-Panama City Beach runs about 17% below the U.S. median of $62K. Rent runs $1,017/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28.4% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 97.3) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. 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 Panama City-Panama City Beach, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | $61K | $54K |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford | $60K | $59K |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater | $61K | $61K |
| Jacksonville | $61K | $62K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL
Entry-level bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists (10th percentile) start around $41K. Mid-career wages sit at $51K. Top earners bring in $74K or more, a $33K 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 Panama City-Panama City Beach?
Yes — at the median salary of $51K, rent takes 28.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,017/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 Panama City-Panama City Beach?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists typically earn — is $41K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,479/month. At HUD’s $1,017/month FMR, rent would take 41% 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 Panama City-Panama City Beach?
Local pay runs 17% below the national median — $51K here vs. $62K nationally.
How does Panama City-Panama City Beach compare to the national average for bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists?
Panama City-Panama City Beach pays $51K median vs. the U.S. average of $62K — that’s -17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.3), the purchasing-power equivalent is $52K — below the national median.
How much do bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists make in Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL?
The median is $51,020 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $41,320, and experienced bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists can clear $74,250. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $51K enough to live in Panama City-Panama City Beach?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,586/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,017/month, which eats 28.4% 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 Panama City-Panama City Beach?
Panama City-Panama City Beach has a Regional Price Parity of 97.3 (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 $52,436 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.