Bus and Truck Mechanic and Diesel Engine Specialist Salary in Philadelphia, PA
Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area earn a median $64,550 a year — 5% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $52,064 take-home, or $4,339 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median bus and truck mechanic and diesel engine specialist salary in Philadelphia, PA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$5,566
- Social Security (6.2%)$4,002
- Medicare (1.45%)$936
- Pennsylvania income tax$1,982
- Take-home pay$52,064
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 3.07% state
Living in Philadelphia? City residents also pay Philadelphia’s Resident Wage Tax — about $2,414 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $49,650 ($4,138 a month). Choose “Philadelphia” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
The Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro spans Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Bus and Truck Mechanic and Diesel Engine Specialist pay by experience in Philadelphia, PA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $47,380 | $22.78 | $38,795 | $3,233 |
| 25th percentile | $55,850 | $26.85 | $45,341 | $3,778 |
| Median (50th) | $64,550 | $31.03 | $52,064 | $4,339 |
| 75th percentile | $76,770 | $36.91 | $60,481 | $5,040 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $87,700 | $42.16 | $67,835 | $5,653 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Pennsylvania resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $64,550 buys in Philadelphia, PA
Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 2.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.13× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median bus and truck mechanic and diesel engine specialist's $52,064 take-home pay has the buying power of $50,768 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Bus and Truck Mechanic and Diesel Engine Specialist jobs are about as common in Philadelphia, PA as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.83).
Best-paying cities for bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists, adjusted for cost of living
Philadelphia, PA ranks #14 of 21 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $82,330 | $66,749 | $60,062 |
| 2 | Minneapolis, MN | $73,730 | $57,209 | $54,577 |
| 3 | Kansas City, MO | $62,570 | $50,452 | $54,517 |
| 4 | Denver, CO | $72,800 | $57,550 | $54,404 |
| 5 | Boston, MA | $75,770 | $58,566 | $54,094 |
| 6 | Columbus, OH | $62,190 | $51,222 | $53,653 |
| 7 | St. Louis, MO | $62,280 | $50,232 | $52,827 |
| 8 | Indianapolis, IN | $61,710 | $49,973 | $52,221 |
| 14 | Philadelphia, PA | $64,550 | $52,064 | $50,768 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 21 metros →
About the job: bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul buses and trucks, or maintain and repair any type of diesel engines.
- Typical education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +3.6% (about average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a bus and truck mechanic and diesel engine specialist make in Philadelphia, PA?
The median bus and truck mechanic and diesel engine specialist salary in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area is $64,550 a year, or about $31.03 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $55,850 and $76,770.
What is a bus and truck mechanic and diesel engine specialist’s take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA?
On the median $64,550 salary, a single filer living in Pennsylvania takes home about $52,064 a year ($4,339 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,982 in Pennsylvania taxes in 2026.
Is Philadelphia, PA a good place to work as a bus and truck mechanic and diesel engine specialist?
Pay here is 5% above the national median of $61,770. Local prices are 2.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $50,768 would in a typical U.S. city. Philadelphia, PA ranks #14 of 21 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a bus and truck mechanic and diesel engine specialist afford rent in Philadelphia, PA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Philadelphia, PA is $1,520 a month ($1,810 for two bedrooms) — 35% of a median bus and truck mechanic and diesel engine specialist’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Philadelphia, PA
- First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers — $85,870
- Industrial Machinery Mechanic — $70,340
- Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers — $64,580
- Automotive Body and Related Repairer — $59,000
- Automotive Service Technician and Mechanic — $58,460
- Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other — $51,290
- Maintenance and Repair Workers, General — $50,200