Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity Salary
In Cedar Rapids, IA, bus drivers, transit and intercities earn $52,950 at the median, or about $25.46 an hour. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $61K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.96), which stretches that salary to about $59,521 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $956/month, or 27.5% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $53K get you in Cedar Rapids?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Cedar Rapids’s Regional Price Parity (88.96). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About bus drivers, transit and intercities
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Cedar Rapids
Bus drivers, transit and intercity pay in Cedar Rapids tracks closely to the national median, $53K locally vs. $59K nationwide, a 10% difference. Rent runs $956/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.96 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for bus drivers, transit and intercities in metros near Cedar Rapids, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $59K | $64K |
| Iowa City | $50K | $54K |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $58K | $65K |
| Sioux City | $44K | $51K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Cedar Rapids, IA
Entry-level bus drivers, transit and intercities (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $53K. Top earners bring in $61K or more, a $26K spread from bottom to top.
Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $84K | +43% | 16,770 |
| Washington | $72K | +22% | 6,960 |
| Hawaii | $69K | +16% | 2,190 |
| California | $67K | +14% | 24,380 |
| Oregon | $66K | +11% | 2,620 |
| Massachusetts | $65K | +11% | 3,970 |
| Maryland | $65K | +10% | 4,890 |
| Illinois | $65K | +10% | 8,650 |
| Alaska | $64K | +9% | 250 |
| Colorado | $63K | +7% | 3,540 |
| Ohio | $63K | +6% | 4,000 |
| Nevada | $62K | +4% | 2,540 |
| New Jersey | $61K | +4% | 6,420 |
| Missouri | $61K | +3% | 1,860 |
| Delaware | $61K | +2% | 380 |
| Connecticut | $60K | +2% | 1,830 |
| Indiana | $58K | -1% | 2,130 |
| Maine | $58K | -2% | 470 |
| District of Columbia | $56K | -6% | 150 |
| New Hampshire | $55K | -7% | 300 |
| Kentucky | $55K | -8% | 2,570 |
| Arizona | $54K | -9% | 3,240 |
| Vermont | $54K | -9% | 440 |
| Virginia | $53K | -10% | 3,800 |
| Wisconsin | $53K | -11% | 2,220 |
| Pennsylvania | $51K | -13% | 4,710 |
| Utah | $51K | -14% | 1,230 |
| Oklahoma | $50K | -15% | 1,760 |
| Minnesota | $50K | -15% | 2,610 |
| Idaho | $49K | -17% | 520 |
| North Dakota | $49K | -17% | 250 |
| Louisiana | $49K | -17% | 1,490 |
| Texas | $49K | -17% | 11,600 |
| Rhode Island | $49K | -18% | 70 |
| Florida | $48K | -18% | 9,130 |
| Tennessee | $48K | -19% | 1,970 |
| Michigan | $48K | -19% | 3,620 |
| Iowa | $46K | -22% | 1,560 |
| Montana | $46K | -23% | 450 |
| Wyoming | $46K | -23% | 130 |
| New Mexico | $46K | -23% | 580 |
| Georgia | $46K | -23% | 3,700 |
| Nebraska | $45K | -24% | 460 |
| North Carolina | $44K | -25% | 2,900 |
| South Carolina | $43K | -27% | 630 |
| South Dakota | $42K | -30% | 410 |
| Kansas | $41K | -30% | 430 |
| West Virginia | $39K | -34% | 520 |
| Mississippi | $39K | -35% | 400 |
| Alabama | $38K | -36% | 960 |
| Arkansas | $38K | -36% | 570 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track bus drivers, transit and intercity salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Cedar Rapids numbers change.
Related careers in Transportation
Frequently asked questions
Can a bus drivers, transit and intercity afford a 2BR apartment alone in Cedar Rapids?
Yes — at the median salary of $53K, rent takes 27.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $956/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for bus drivers, transit and intercities in Cedar Rapids?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new bus drivers, transit and intercities typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,074/month. At HUD’s $956/month FMR, rent would take 46% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is bus drivers, transit and intercity a high-paying job in Cedar Rapids?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $53K locally vs. $59K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Cedar Rapids compare to the national average for bus drivers, transit and intercities?
Cedar Rapids pays $53K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s -10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.96), the purchasing-power equivalent is $60K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do bus drivers, transit and intercities make in Cedar Rapids, IA?
The median is $52,950 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,570, and experienced bus drivers, transit and intercities can clear $60,730. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $53K enough to live in Cedar Rapids?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,499/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $956/month, which eats 27.3% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a bus drivers, transit and intercity salary go in Cedar Rapids?
Cedar Rapids has a Regional Price Parity of 88.96 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median bus drivers, transit and intercity salary is worth about $59,521 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do bus drivers, transit and intercities get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.