Driver/Sales Workers Salary
The median pay for a driver/sales workers in Iowa is $47,120/year ($22.65/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $23K at the entry level to $65K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $53,027 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,064/month, about 33.1% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Iowa. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $47K actually covers in Iowa, month by month
About driver/sales workers
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What this looks like in Iowa
Iowa sits well above the national pay line for driver/sales workers, local pay runs about 22% higher than the U.S. median of $39K. Rent runs $1,064/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.86 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Iowa
Entry-level driver/sales workers (10th percentile) start around $23K. Mid-career wages sit at $47K. Top earners bring in $65K or more, a $42K spread from bottom to top.
Driver/Sales Workers salary by metro in Iowa
8 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dubuque | $54K | +14% | 200 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $47K | -0% | 580 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $46K | -2% | 1,000 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls | $45K | -5% | 220 |
| Cedar Rapids | $45K | -5% | 450 |
| Sioux City | $38K | -19% | 250 |
| Iowa City | $36K | -23% | 170 |
| Ames | $29K | -39% | 130 |
Compare to other states
Track driver/sales workers salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Iowa numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a driver/sales worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $47K, rent takes 33.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,064/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for driver/sales workers in Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new driver/sales workers typically earn — is $23K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,601/month. At HUD’s $1,064/month FMR, rent would take 66% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is driver/sales worker a high-paying job in Iowa?
Local pay is 22% above the national median — $47K here vs. $39K nationally.
How does Iowa compare to the national average for driver/sales workers?
Iowa pays $47K median vs. the U.S. average of $39K — that’s +22%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $53K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do driver/sales workers make in Iowa?
The median is $47,120 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $22,670, and experienced driver/sales workers can clear $64,760. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $47K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,137/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 33.9% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a driver/sales workers salary go in Iowa?
Iowa has a Regional Price Parity of 88.86 (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 driver/sales workers salary is worth about $53,027 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do driver/sales workers 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.