SOC 53-3051 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Bus Drivers, School — Iowa
Iowa · 7 metro areas compared
The median wage for Bus Drivers, School in Iowa is $46,320 per year, close to the national median of $47,920 for the same occupation.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
The median wage for Bus Drivers, School in Iowa is $46,320 per year, close to the national median of $47,920 for the same occupation. Pay ranges from under $28,440 at the tenth percentile to more than $63,200 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $39,330 to $56,070.
Employment stands at 4,840, or 3.1 jobs per thousand held locally. Among the 51 states with published data for this occupation, Iowa ranks 28th by median wage. Ames leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $54,780. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 528th of 711 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $28,440 | −40.7% |
| 25th | $39,330 | −17.9% |
| Median (50th) | $46,320 | −3.3% |
| 75th | $56,070 | +17.0% |
| 90th | $63,200 | +31.9% |
| Mean | $47,980 | +0.1% |
Highest-paying metro areas in Iowa
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ames | $54,780 | 220 | |
| 2 | Sioux City | $48,760 | 250 | |
| 3 | Iowa City | $48,530 | 190 | |
| 4 | Waterloo | $47,100 | 130 | |
| 5 | Davenport | $46,720 | 490 | |
| 6 | Cedar Rapids | $46,220 | 340 | |
| 7 | Des Moines | $46,210 | 860 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Iowa run 12.2% below the national average, so the median of $46,320 goes as far as $52,756 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 10.1% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$46,320as reported by BLSLocal price level
87.8US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$52,756US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $46,320 a year, 3.3% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $28,440 to $63,200 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 4,840 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 28th of 51 states for this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Ames, at $54,780.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Bus Drivers, School in Iowa?
The median annual wage is $46,320, or $22.27 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $47,920, so pay in Iowa is 3.3% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Iowa earns more than $63,200 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $28,440 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Ames, at $54,780 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 4,840 jobs in this occupation in Iowa. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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