Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists Salary
In Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA, bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists earn $64,860 at the median, or about $31.19 an hour. The range runs from $51K at the entry level to $93K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.35), that's roughly $64,634 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,131/month, or 25.1% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $65K get you in Spokane-Spokane Valley?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Spokane-Spokane Valley’s Regional Price Parity (100.35). 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 Spokane-Spokane Valley
Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists pay in Spokane-Spokane Valley tracks closely to the national median, $65K locally vs. $62K nationwide, a 5% difference. Rent runs $1,131/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 25.1% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 100.35) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists in metros near Spokane-Spokane Valley, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | $82K | $74K |
| Yakima | $64K | $67K |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater | $79K | $76K |
| Kennewick-Richland | $70K | $70K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
Entry-level bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists (10th percentile) start around $51K. Mid-career wages sit at $65K. Top earners bring in $93K or more, a $43K 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 Spokane-Spokane Valley?
Yes — at the median salary of $65K, rent takes 25.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,131/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 Spokane-Spokane Valley?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists typically earn — is $51K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,038/month. At HUD’s $1,131/month FMR, rent would take 37% 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 Spokane-Spokane Valley?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $65K locally vs. $62K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Spokane-Spokane Valley compare to the national average for bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists?
Spokane-Spokane Valley pays $65K median vs. the U.S. average of $62K — that’s +5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.35), the purchasing-power equivalent is $65K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists make in Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA?
The median is $64,860 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $50,640, and experienced bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists can clear $93,280. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $65K enough to live in Spokane-Spokane Valley?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,501/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,131/month, which eats 25.1% 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 Spokane-Spokane Valley?
Spokane-Spokane Valley has a Regional Price Parity of 100.35 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists salary is worth about $64,634 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.