Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists Salary
In Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC, bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists earn $55,800 at the median, or about $26.83 an hour. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $73K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.34), which stretches that salary to about $63,165 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,358/month, about 36.3% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $56K get you in Pinehurst-Southern Pines?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Pinehurst-Southern Pines’s Regional Price Parity (88.34). 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 Pinehurst-Southern Pines
Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists pay in Pinehurst-Southern Pines tracks closely to the national median, $56K locally vs. $62K nationwide, a 10% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,358/month, which is 36.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.34 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% 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 Pinehurst-Southern Pines, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $60K | $62K |
| Raleigh-Cary | $60K | $61K |
| Greensboro-High Point | $58K | $63K |
| Winston-Salem | $58K | $63K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC
Entry-level bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $56K. Top earners bring in $73K or more, a $34K 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 Pinehurst-Southern Pines?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $56K, rent takes 36.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,358/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 Pinehurst-Southern Pines?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,364/month. At HUD’s $1,358/month FMR, rent would take 57% 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 Pinehurst-Southern Pines?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $56K locally vs. $62K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Pinehurst-Southern Pines compare to the national average for bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists?
Pinehurst-Southern Pines pays $56K median vs. the U.S. average of $62K — that’s -10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.34), the purchasing-power equivalent is $63K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists make in Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC?
The median is $55,800 a year, that works out to about $27 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,400, and experienced bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists can clear $72,920. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $56K enough to live in Pinehurst-Southern Pines?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,697/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,358/month, which eats 36.7% 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 Pinehurst-Southern Pines?
Pinehurst-Southern Pines has a Regional Price Parity of 88.34 (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 $63,165 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.