Parking Attendants Salary
The median pay for a parking attendants in Iowa is $30,070/year ($14.46/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $21K at the entry level to $38K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $33,840 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,064/month, about 51.9% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Iowa. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $30K get you in Iowa?
About parking attendants
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Iowa
Pay for parking attendants in Iowa runs about 14% below the U.S. median of $35K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,064/month, which is 51.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. 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. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for parking attendantss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Iowa
Entry-level parking attendants (10th percentile) start around $21K. Mid-career wages sit at $30K. Top earners bring in $38K or more, a $17K spread from bottom to top.
Parking Attendants salary by metro in Iowa
7 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dubuque | $34K | +13% | 40 |
| Iowa City | $31K | +4% | 50 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $31K | +4% | 140 |
| Ames | $31K | +3% | 40 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls | $31K | +3% | 40 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $30K | +0% | 380 |
| Cedar Rapids | $26K | -13% | 170 |
Compare to other states
Track parking attendants salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Iowa numbers change.
Related careers in Transportation
Frequently asked questions
Can a parking attendant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $30K, rent takes 51.3% 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 $600/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for parking attendants in Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new parking attendants typically earn — is $21K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,271/month. At HUD’s $1,064/month FMR, rent would take 84% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is parking attendant a high-paying job in Iowa?
Local pay runs 14% below the national median — $30K here vs. $35K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Iowa compare to the national average for parking attendants?
Iowa pays $30K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s -14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $34K — below the national median.
How much do parking attendants make in Iowa?
The median is $30,070 a year, that works out to about $14 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $21,180, and experienced parking attendants can clear $37,880. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $30K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,074/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 51.3% 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 parking attendants 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 parking attendants salary is worth about $33,840 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do parking attendants 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.