Outdoor Power Equipment and Other Small Engine Mechanics Salary
Outdoor Power Equipment and Other Small Engine Mechanics in Kalamazoo-Portage, MI make a median of $44,960 a year, or about $21.61 an hour. The range runs from $30K at the entry level to $60K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.84), which stretches that salary to about $47,406 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,162/month, about 37.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $45K get you in Kalamazoo-Portage?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Kalamazoo-Portage’s Regional Price Parity (94.84). 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 outdoor power equipment and other small engine mechanics
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Kalamazoo-Portage
Outdoor power equipment and other small engine mechanics pay in Kalamazoo-Portage tracks closely to the national median, $45K locally vs. $48K nationwide, a 6% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,162/month, which is 38.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.84 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% 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 outdoor power equipment and other small engine mechanics in metros near Kalamazoo-Portage, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn | $49K | $48K |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood | $47K | $49K |
| Lansing-East Lansing | $47K | $50K |
| Ann Arbor | $48K | $48K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kalamazoo-Portage, MI
Entry-level outdoor power equipment and other small engine mechanics (10th percentile) start around $30K. Mid-career wages sit at $45K. Top earners bring in $60K or more, a $30K spread from bottom to top.
Outdoor Power Equipment and Other Small Engine Mechanics pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Outdoor Power Equipment and Other Small Engine Mechanics salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $60K | +26% | 50 |
| Hawaii | $58K | +21% | 210 |
| Massachusetts | $58K | +21% | 800 |
| New Hampshire | $58K | +20% | 210 |
| Nevada | $57K | +19% | 170 |
| Connecticut | $57K | +18% | 560 |
| Minnesota | $56K | +17% | 630 |
| Idaho | $55K | +16% | 190 |
| Missouri | $55K | +15% | 690 |
| Delaware | $54K | +13% | 80 |
| Washington | $54K | +13% | 590 |
| Colorado | $53K | +10% | 690 |
| Rhode Island | $52K | +9% | 100 |
| New Jersey | $52K | +9% | 660 |
| Vermont | $51K | +7% | 110 |
| Utah | $51K | +6% | 250 |
| California | $51K | +6% | 2,470 |
| New York | $51K | +6% | 1,480 |
| North Dakota | $51K | +6% | 190 |
| Oregon | $50K | +4% | 280 |
| Nebraska | $50K | +4% | 300 |
| Wisconsin | $48K | +1% | 1,020 |
| Maine | $48K | +0% | 300 |
| Montana | $48K | +0% | 190 |
| Florida | $48K | -0% | 3,450 |
| South Carolina | $48K | -1% | 660 |
| Virginia | $47K | -1% | 1,240 |
| North Carolina | $47K | -1% | 1,950 |
| Georgia | $47K | -1% | 1,620 |
| Indiana | $47K | -1% | 1,150 |
| Michigan | $47K | -2% | 1,860 |
| Arizona | $47K | -3% | 1,050 |
| Kansas | $47K | -3% | 170 |
| Pennsylvania | $46K | -3% | 1,590 |
| Illinois | $46K | -4% | 780 |
| Ohio | $46K | -4% | 1,480 |
| Tennessee | $46K | -4% | 1,200 |
| Iowa | $46K | -4% | 430 |
| Texas | $46K | -5% | 2,270 |
| Maryland | $46K | -5% | 440 |
| Louisiana | $43K | -10% | 260 |
| Alabama | $43K | -10% | 400 |
| Kentucky | $43K | -10% | 500 |
| Oklahoma | $43K | -11% | 380 |
| New Mexico | $43K | -11% | 110 |
| South Dakota | $42K | -13% | 160 |
| West Virginia | $39K | -18% | 130 |
| Mississippi | $38K | -21% | 150 |
| Arkansas | $38K | -21% | 390 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track outdoor power equipment and other small engine mechanics salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Kalamazoo-Portage numbers change.
Related careers in Repair & Maintenance
Frequently asked questions
Can a outdoor power equipment and other small engine mechanic afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kalamazoo-Portage?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $45K, rent takes 38.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,162/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for outdoor power equipment and other small engine mechanics in Kalamazoo-Portage?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new outdoor power equipment and other small engine mechanics typically earn — is $30K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,785/month. At HUD’s $1,162/month FMR, rent would take 65% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is outdoor power equipment and other small engine mechanic a high-paying job in Kalamazoo-Portage?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $45K locally vs. $48K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Kalamazoo-Portage compare to the national average for outdoor power equipment and other small engine mechanics?
Kalamazoo-Portage pays $45K median vs. the U.S. average of $48K — that’s -6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.84), the purchasing-power equivalent is $47K — below the national median.
How much do outdoor power equipment and other small engine mechanics make in Kalamazoo-Portage, MI?
The median is $44,960 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $29,750, and experienced outdoor power equipment and other small engine mechanics can clear $59,730. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $45K enough to live in Kalamazoo-Portage?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,021/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,162/month, which eats 38.5% 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 outdoor power equipment and other small engine mechanics salary go in Kalamazoo-Portage?
Kalamazoo-Portage has a Regional Price Parity of 94.84 (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 outdoor power equipment and other small engine mechanics salary is worth about $47,406 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do outdoor power equipment and other small engine mechanics 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.