GeraJobs / US Real Pay Index / Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists
Best States to Be a Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists
After 2025 state income tax and 2024 cost of living, a bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists salary goes furthest in North Dakota — a $66,110 BLS median worth $74,257 in real terms (Gera US Real Pay Index 118.4).
Which US states are best for a bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists after cost of living and tax?
For a bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists, the Gera US Real Pay Index ranks North Dakota #1: a $66,110 BLS median becomes $74,257 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms (index 118.4). West Virginia ranks last ($50,549, index 80.6). Real BLS OEWS May 2025 across 51 states; re-dated annually.
Gera US Real Pay Index
North Dakota ranks #1 of 51 states for a bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists. Index 100 = the average state; 118.4 means pay goes 18.4% further after tax and cost of living.
How this is calculatedBus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists — real pay by state (best first)
| # | State | BLS median | State tax | Cost (RPP) | Real pay | Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Dakota | $66,110 | $51 | 89.0 | $74,257 | 118.4 |
| 2 | Alaska | $75,580 | — | 102.4 | $73,838 | 117.8 |
| 3 | Washington | $77,900 | — | 107.0 | $72,795 | 116.1 |
| 4 | Hawaii | $80,080 | $4,556 | 110.0 | $68,689 | 109.5 |
| 5 | New Hampshire | $71,390 | — | 104.2 | $68,535 | 109.3 |
| 6 | Nevada | $68,410 | — | 100.0 | $68,424 | 109.1 |
| 7 | Maryland | $74,790 | $3,220 | 105.0 | $68,189 | 108.7 |
| 8 | Wyoming | $61,580 | — | 92.7 | $66,436 | 106.0 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $73,270 | $3,444 | 105.8 | $66,025 | 105.3 |
| 10 | Colorado | $70,480 | $2,441 | 103.1 | $66,024 | 105.3 |
| 11 | South Dakota | $58,120 | — | 88.6 | $65,609 | 104.6 |
| 12 | Iowa | $59,680 | $2,228 | 87.8 | $65,464 | 104.4 |
| 13 | Louisiana | $58,680 | $1,385 | 88.2 | $64,955 | 103.6 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $66,840 | $3,056 | 98.6 | $64,676 | 103.1 |
| 15 | Tennessee | $59,190 | — | 91.9 | $64,428 | 102.7 |
| 16 | California | $73,950 | $2,784 | 110.7 | $64,276 | 102.5 |
| 17 | New Jersey | $72,340 | $2,449 | 108.8 | $64,235 | 102.4 |
| 18 | Ohio | $60,470 | $881 | 92.8 | $64,231 | 102.4 |
| 19 | Wisconsin | $62,450 | $2,158 | 94.1 | $64,076 | 102.2 |
| 20 | Rhode Island | $67,270 | $1,923 | 102.3 | $63,891 | 101.9 |
| 21 | Nebraska | $59,140 | $1,979 | 90.1 | $63,439 | 101.2 |
| 22 | Missouri | $59,360 | $1,909 | 90.8 | $63,260 | 100.9 |
| 23 | Kansas | $59,460 | $2,518 | 90.1 | $63,221 | 100.8 |
| 24 | Indiana | $60,610 | $1,788 | 93.3 | $63,026 | 100.5 |
| 25 | Connecticut | $67,300 | $2,127 | 103.6 | $62,903 | 100.3 |
| 26 | Utah | $64,350 | $2,928 | 98.9 | $62,128 | 99.1 |
| 27 | New York | $70,100 | $3,251 | 107.9 | $61,943 | 98.8 |
| 28 | Michigan | $61,420 | $2,364 | 96.2 | $61,378 | 97.9 |
| 29 | Pennsylvania | $61,740 | $1,895 | 97.6 | $61,334 | 97.8 |
| 30 | Illinois | $64,340 | $3,044 | 100.0 | $61,322 | 97.8 |
| 31 | South Carolina | $59,330 | $2,071 | 93.7 | $61,077 | 97.4 |
| 32 | Georgia | $61,370 | $2,661 | 96.3 | $60,969 | 97.2 |
| 33 | Delaware | $63,590 | $2,856 | 99.8 | $60,851 | 97.0 |
| 34 | Montana | $59,990 | $2,401 | 94.6 | $60,847 | 97.0 |
| 35 | Mississippi | $54,360 | $1,587 | 87.0 | $60,692 | 96.8 |
| 36 | Oklahoma | $55,340 | $2,091 | 87.8 | $60,618 | 96.7 |
| 37 | Texas | $58,810 | — | 97.1 | $60,593 | 96.6 |
| 38 | Arizona | $61,680 | $1,067 | 100.7 | $60,205 | 96.0 |
| 39 | Maine | $60,850 | $2,493 | 97.0 | $60,131 | 95.9 |
| 40 | Idaho | $59,230 | $2,253 | 95.5 | $59,666 | 95.2 |
| 41 | Kentucky | $55,480 | $2,088 | 90.2 | $59,219 | 94.4 |
| 42 | Vermont | $59,390 | $1,571 | 98.0 | $59,024 | 94.1 |
| 43 | New Mexico | $55,910 | $1,514 | 92.2 | $58,990 | 94.1 |
| 44 | North Carolina | $57,490 | $1,901 | 94.3 | $58,932 | 94.0 |
| 45 | Florida | $60,490 | — | 103.4 | $58,493 | 93.3 |
| 46 | Arkansas | $52,330 | $1,832 | 86.9 | $58,085 | 92.6 |
| 47 | Virginia | $61,090 | $2,713 | 101.1 | $57,740 | 92.1 |
| 48 | Oregon | $63,970 | $4,793 | 103.4 | $57,252 | 91.3 |
| 49 | District of Columbia | $65,200 | $2,863 | 109.9 | $56,721 | 90.5 |
| 50 | Alabama | $50,470 | $2,259 | 88.8 | $54,278 | 86.6 |
| 51 | West Virginia | $46,610 | $1,370 | 89.5 | $50,549 | 80.6 |
"Real pay" = BLS median − 2025 state income tax, divided by the state's 2024 BEA cost of living (US = 100). Only the 51 states for which BLS publishes a median for this occupation are ranked; suppressed cells are excluded, never set to zero.
Where does your salary go furthest?
Enter a salary and a state. We adjust for 2025 state income tax and the 2024 BEA cost of living to show your real, purchasing-power-equivalent pay — then rank every state.
In North Dakota, a $66,110 salary is worth about $72,457 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.
State income tax $1,653 (≈ top marginal 2.50% (upper bound)) · take-home $64,457 · BEA cost of living 89.0 (US = 100).
The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $74,628, a $2,171 gain over North Dakota.
| # | State | Real value | Cost (RPP) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Dakota | $74,628 | 88.6 |
| 2 | Arkansas | $73,078 | 86.9 |
| 3 | Louisiana | $72,700 | 88.2 |
| 4 | Mississippi | $72,684 | 87.0 |
| 5 | Iowa | $72,466 | 87.8 |
| 6 | North Dakota | $72,457 | 89.0 |
| 7 | Tennessee | $71,960 | 91.9 |
| 8 | Oklahoma | $71,684 | 87.8 |
| 9 | Wyoming | $71,323 | 92.7 |
| 10 | Alabama | $70,707 | 88.8 |
| 11 | Kentucky | $70,393 | 90.2 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $70,308 | 89.5 |
Estimate only. State income tax is approximated from each state's 2025 flat rate (or top marginal rate as an upper bound for graduated states) and ignores federal tax, deductions and credits. The pre-published occupation and state pages use exact 2025 bracket math. Cost of living is the 2024 BEA Regional Price Parity (All Items).
Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists — real pay FAQ
- What is the best state to be a bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists?
- By the Gera US Real Pay Index, North Dakota is the best state for a bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists: a BLS median of $66,110 is worth $74,257 after the 2025 state income tax ($51) and the 2024 BEA cost-of-living adjustment (RPP 89.0), an index of 118.4 where the average state is 100.
- Does the highest-paying state also leave you best off?
- Not necessarily. Hawaii has the highest headline BLS median for a bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists at $80,080, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #4 of 51 on real pay (index 109.5). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.
- Where does a bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists salary go least far?
- West Virginia ranks last of 51 states for a bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists: a $46,610 BLS median is worth only $50,549 after tax and cost of living (index 80.6). Higher local prices and/or income tax less far than the national average erode the headline pay.
Compare other occupations
- Home Health and Personal Care AidesWashington
- Retail SalespersonsNorth Dakota
- Fast Food and Counter WorkersCalifornia
- General and Operations ManagersSouth Dakota
- Registered NursesCalifornia
- CashiersWashington
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNorth Dakota
- Stockers and Order FillersWyoming
- Customer Service RepresentativesIowa
- Office Clerks, GeneralNorth Dakota
- Waiters and WaitressesVermont
- Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping CleanersWashington
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Related on GeraJobs
- Gera US Real Pay Index — all states ranked — and how the index is calculated.
- Methodology — the exact BLS + BEA + tax computation.
- Browse US jobs with salary ranges — roles hiring now.
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (May 2025 state estimates, US federal public domain); U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities (All Items), by state (2024 (US = 100)); Tax Foundation — 2025 State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets. The Gera US Real Pay Index for a bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.