Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
No formal educational credential
None
Short-term on-the-job training
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
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Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Automotive and watercraft service attendants support drivers and boat owners with essential services that keep vehicles and vessels ready to use. Nationally, there are about 100,000 people working in this occupation, indicating a sizable workforce. The typical entry path does not require a formal educational credential, which can make it accessible to people starting their careers, changing fields, or re-entering the workforce. Key strengths for success include customer service, mechanical ability, fine motor skills, and physical strength and stamina, combined with attention to detail and problem-solving skills. Interpersonal skills and adaptability also matter, since attendants interact directly with customers and may handle a variety of tasks. While projected employment growth is slightly negative at -1.0%, there are still an estimated 14,000 annual openings, reflecting ongoing turnover and replacement needs. For individuals who want hands-on work focused on vehicles or watercraft and prefer skill-based roles over formal schooling, this occupation can be a practical option to consider.
The national median annual salary for automotive and watercraft service attendants is $34,850. Pay levels vary across states and metro areas. Among the top states by CareerGPS opportunity score, California shows a higher median salary of $41,770, while Washington is at $39,440 and Colorado at $38,370. Massachusetts and New York are closer to the national median, at $35,680 and $37,180 respectively. At the metro level, several areas stand out for higher pay: San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA reports a median salary of $45,760, and San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA reports $45,020. These figures are notably above the national median. In contrast, some large metro areas with strong opportunity scores, such as New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ at $36,440 and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV at $35,690, sit closer to national levels. Overall, earning potential depends significantly on location choice.
Automotive and watercraft service attendants have national employment of about 100,000 workers. Projected employment growth is -1.0%, indicating a modest decline over the projection period. Even with this slight negative growth, the occupation is expected to see about 14,000 annual openings. These openings represent opportunities for new entrants and career changers to step into roles as existing workers leave the occupation or the labor force. This combination—a large current workforce, slight projected decline, and ongoing annual openings—suggests that many jobs will focus on replacement rather than expansion. Individuals considering this career should recognize that while overall employment is not projected to grow, there is still consistent hiring activity. Those who build strong customer service, mechanical, and problem-solving skills may be better positioned to move into available roles as they emerge across different employers and regions.
Location has a clear impact on opportunity for automotive and watercraft service attendants. Among states, California ranks highest by CareerGPS opportunity score at 67.38, with a median salary of $41,770 and employment of 10,190. Massachusetts (score 65.87) and New York (65.78) also show strong scores, with median salaries of $35,680 and $37,180. Colorado and Washington combine moderate employment levels with higher median salaries of $38,370 and $39,440. All of these states share the same projected growth rate of -1.0%, so differences in opportunity scores reflect factors beyond growth alone. Metro areas show even more variation. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA and New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ both have very high opportunity scores above 77, but different salary levels—$45,020 in San Jose versus $36,440 in New York. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA combines a high opportunity score with one of the highest median salaries at $45,760. These patterns suggest that both pay and local job concentration are important when comparing locations.
Automotive and watercraft service attendants typically enter the occupation with no formal educational credential. This makes it an option for people who prefer to move directly into the workforce without completing a structured degree or certificate program. Since employers do not generally require formal education for entry, developing the right skills becomes especially important. Core strengths for this role include customer service and interpersonal skills, as attendants regularly interact with customers. Mechanical and fine motor skills support the hands-on nature of the work, while physical strength and stamina help with more demanding tasks. Being detail oriented, adaptable, and comfortable with problem solving and decision making can improve on-the-job performance. Competence in basic science and mathematics supports understanding of technical information as needed. Together, this skill set allows individuals without formal credentials to build a practical, employable profile well suited to the everyday demands of the occupation.
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