Motor Vehicle Operators, All Other Salary
The median pay for a motor vehicle operators, all other in Salinas, CA is $71,140/year ($34.2/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $82K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 109.04), so that salary is closer to $65,242 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,684/month, about 57.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $71K get you in Salinas?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Salinas’s Regional Price Parity (109.04). 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 motor vehicle operators, all others
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What this looks like in Salinas
Salinas sits well above the national pay line for motor vehicle operators, all other, local pay runs about 91% higher than the U.S. median of $37K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,684/month, which is 57.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 9% above the national average (BEA RPP 109.04), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for motor vehicle operators, all others in metros near Salinas, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | $40K | $37K |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $44K | $39K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $50K | $43K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $42K | $40K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Salinas, CA
Entry-level motor vehicle operators, all others (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $71K. Top earners bring in $82K or more, a $44K spread from bottom to top.
Motor Vehicle Operators, All Other pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Motor Vehicle Operators, All Other salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $75K | +101% | 100 |
| District of Columbia | $70K | +88% | 980 |
| Hawaii | $61K | +64% | 230 |
| Washington | $60K | +61% | 310 |
| Oklahoma | $58K | +55% | 180 |
| Utah | $56K | +51% | 70 |
| Arizona | $56K | +50% | 360 |
| New Mexico | $54K | +46% | 160 |
| South Dakota | $54K | +45% | 100 |
| Alabama | $52K | +40% | 200 |
| New Jersey | $51K | +36% | 1,790 |
| Kansas | $50K | +34% | 70 |
| Wyoming | $49K | +31% | 80 |
| Iowa | $48K | +30% | 50 |
| Mississippi | $47K | +25% | 160 |
| California | $45K | +21% | 3,580 |
| Illinois | $45K | +21% | 840 |
| Rhode Island | $43K | +14% | 50 |
| Montana | $42K | +13% | 670 |
| Idaho | $41K | +11% | 70 |
| Colorado | $39K | +5% | 3,430 |
| New York | $39K | +5% | 3,540 |
| Delaware | $39K | +4% | N/A |
| Louisiana | $38K | +1% | 280 |
| Connecticut | $37K | +1% | 450 |
| Florida | $37K | +0% | 2,590 |
| Massachusetts | $37K | -2% | 1,210 |
| Virginia | $37K | -2% | 910 |
| Texas | $36K | -2% | 2,570 |
| Georgia | $36K | -3% | 2,210 |
| Arkansas | $36K | -3% | 140 |
| Maryland | $35K | -5% | 570 |
| Oregon | $35K | -6% | 1,190 |
| Minnesota | $35K | -7% | 1,190 |
| North Dakota | $34K | -8% | 220 |
| Michigan | $34K | -9% | 2,600 |
| Wisconsin | $34K | -9% | 710 |
| Maine | $34K | -9% | 310 |
| Tennessee | $34K | -10% | 2,310 |
| Nebraska | $33K | -10% | 760 |
| Pennsylvania | $33K | -12% | 1,320 |
| Missouri | $32K | -13% | 1,400 |
| West Virginia | $32K | -14% | 240 |
| New Hampshire | $32K | -15% | 150 |
| Ohio | $31K | -17% | 2,430 |
| Vermont | $29K | -21% | 130 |
| North Carolina | $29K | -22% | 2,000 |
| South Carolina | $28K | -25% | 450 |
| Indiana | $27K | -28% | 560 |
| Nevada | $25K | -32% | 320 |
| Kentucky | $24K | -36% | 450 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 states
Track motor vehicle operators, all other salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Salinas numbers change.
Related careers in Transportation
Frequently asked questions
Can a motor vehicle operators, all other afford a 2BR apartment alone in Salinas?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $71K, rent takes 57.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,684/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,400/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for motor vehicle operators, all others in Salinas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new motor vehicle operators, all others typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,295/month. At HUD’s $2,684/month FMR, rent would take 117% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is motor vehicle operators, all other a high-paying job in Salinas?
Local pay is 91% above the national median — $71K here vs. $37K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 9% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Salinas compare to the national average for motor vehicle operators, all others?
Salinas pays $71K median vs. the U.S. average of $37K — that’s +91%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 109.04), the purchasing-power equivalent is $65K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do motor vehicle operators, all others make in Salinas, CA?
The median is $71,140 a year, that works out to about $34 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,250, and experienced motor vehicle operators, all others can clear $81,830. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $71K enough to live in Salinas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,637/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,684/month, which eats 57.9% 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 motor vehicle operators, all other salary go in Salinas?
Salinas has a Regional Price Parity of 109.04 (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 motor vehicle operators, all other salary is worth about $65,242 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do motor vehicle operators, all others 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.