School Bus Monitors Salary in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
The median pay for a school bus monitors in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA is $34,120/year ($16.4/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $29K at the entry level to $43K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.7), which stretches that salary to about $37,208 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,318/month — about 56.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $34K get you in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Des Moines-West Des Moines’s Regional Price Parity (91.7). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction.
About school bus monitors
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Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
Entry-level school bus monitors (10th percentile) start around $29K. Mid-career wages sit at $34K. Top earners bring in $43K or more, a $14K spread from bottom to top.
School Bus Monitors pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $42K | +19% | 490 |
| Minnesota | $40K | +14% | 1,110 |
| Hawaii | $40K | +14% | 160 |
| California | $39K | +12% | 1,480 |
| Wyoming | $39K | +11% | 300 |
| Oregon | $38K | +8% | 450 |
| Delaware | $38K | +7% | 250 |
| Utah | $38K | +7% | 310 |
| Vermont | $37K | +7% | 90 |
| Wisconsin | $37K | +6% | 320 |
| New York | $37K | +6% | 18,040 |
| Connecticut | $37K | +6% | 990 |
| Maryland | $37K | +5% | 2,290 |
| District of Columbia | $37K | +5% | N/A |
| Massachusetts | $36K | +3% | 2,210 |
| Alaska | $36K | +3% | 150 |
| Rhode Island | $36K | +2% | N/A |
| New Jersey | $36K | +2% | 5,110 |
| New Hampshire | $35K | +1% | 140 |
| Illinois | $35K | +1% | 5,190 |
| New Mexico | $35K | -1% | 250 |
| Ohio | $34K | -2% | 820 |
| Arizona | $34K | -2% | 1,520 |
| Iowa | $34K | -2% | 400 |
| Nebraska | $34K | -4% | 390 |
| Virginia | $33K | -4% | 1,870 |
| Montana | $33K | -5% | 210 |
| North Carolina | $33K | -5% | 1,670 |
| Michigan | $33K | -6% | 2,040 |
| Florida | $33K | -6% | 3,640 |
| Missouri | $32K | -9% | 1,330 |
| Indiana | $32K | -10% | 2,030 |
| Pennsylvania | $31K | -11% | 2,180 |
| Maine | $31K | -11% | 170 |
| Georgia | $30K | -15% | 2,320 |
| Arkansas | $29K | -16% | 730 |
| Kansas | $29K | -16% | 1,000 |
| Texas | $29K | -17% | 5,080 |
| Nevada | $29K | -18% | 130 |
| Louisiana | $28K | -19% | 710 |
| Oklahoma | $28K | -20% | 640 |
| Kentucky | $28K | -21% | 360 |
| Tennessee | $28K | -21% | 690 |
| South Carolina | $27K | -23% | 790 |
| Alabama | $27K | -24% | 120 |
| Idaho | $27K | -24% | 160 |
| Mississippi | $23K | -35% | 600 |
Showing 1–10 of 47 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track school bus monitors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Des Moines-West Des Moines numbers change.
Related careers in Public Safety
Frequently asked questions
How much do school bus monitors make in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?
The median is $34,120 a year, that works out to about $16 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $28,940, and experienced school bus monitors can clear $42,590. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $34K enough to live in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,328/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,318/month, which eats 56.6% 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 school bus monitors salary go in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Des Moines-West Des Moines has a Regional Price Parity of 91.7 (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 school bus monitors salary is worth about $37,208 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do school bus monitors 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.