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What does a School Bus Monitors salary really buy you in Iowa?
Iowa is 11.6% cheaper than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2025 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-05-19
Iowa's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 88.4, meaning prices are 11.6% lower the national average. A School Bus Monitors earning $32,740 in Iowa has the equivalent purchasing power of $37,036 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for Iowa's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $28,180 | $31,877 | +$3,697 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $28,850 | $32,635 | +$3,785 |
| Median (P50) | $32,740 | $37,036 | +$4,296 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $34,890 | $39,468 | +$4,578 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $36,540 | $41,334 | +$4,794 |
A School Bus Monitors in Iowa earns $32,740 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 13% further — like earning $37,036 in an average-cost state. This makes Iowa one of the best value states for this occupation.
Iowa's Regional Price Parity (RPP) of 88.4 means a basket of goods and services costs about 11.6% less than the national average. For a School Bus Monitors, every dollar earned effectively buys more here than in a 100-RPP state.
Adjusting $32,740 for Iowa's cost of living yields $37,036 — a 13.1% gain in real purchasing power. This magnitude usually reflects either a materially cheaper or materially pricier metro mix than the national average.
Iowa sits at #16 of 50 states for School Bus Monitors COL-adjusted salary — comfortably above the national midpoint.
Where does School Bus Monitors salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Iowa ranks #16 out of 50 states for School Bus Monitors after cost-of-living adjustment.
How much do you actually take home? See School Bus Monitors take-home pay in Iowa after taxes →
A School Bus Monitors in Iowa earns a median salary of $32,740 per year. After adjusting for Iowa's cost of living (RPP=88.4), the real purchasing power is $37,036 — a +13.1% difference.
Iowa's cost of living is 11.6% lower than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for Iowa is 88.4 (US average = 100).
Regional Price Parities (RPPs) are price indexes published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) that measure differences in price levels across states. They are expressed as a percentage of the national average (US = 100). Higher RPP means higher cost of living.
The adjusted salary is calculated as: Nominal Salary x (100 / RPP). For a School Bus Monitors in Iowa: $32,740 x (100 / 88.4) = $37,036. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A School Bus Monitors in Iowa enjoys 13.1% more buying power than the nominal salary suggests, because living costs are below the national average. However, other factors like job availability, career growth, and quality of life also matter.
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