Transportation Inspectors Salary
In Iowa, transportation inspectors earn $116,850 at the median, or about $56.18 an hour. The range runs from $54K at the entry level to $160K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $131,499 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,064/month, or 14.4% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Iowa. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $117K get you in Iowa?
About transportation inspectors
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What this looks like in Iowa
Iowa sits well above the national pay line for transportation inspectors, local pay runs about 27% higher than the U.S. median of $92K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,064/month, 15.1% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. 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. Combined with manageable housing costs, Iowa offers a genuinely strong financial position for transportation inspectorss at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Iowa
Entry-level transportation inspectors (10th percentile) start around $54K. Mid-career wages sit at $117K. Top earners bring in $160K or more, a $105K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track transportation inspectors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Iowa numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a transportation inspector afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
Yes — at the median salary of $117K, rent takes 15.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,064/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for transportation inspectors in Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new transportation inspectors typically earn — is $54K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,255/month. At HUD’s $1,064/month FMR, rent would take 33% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is transportation inspector a high-paying job in Iowa?
Local pay is 27% above the national median — $117K here vs. $92K nationally.
How does Iowa compare to the national average for transportation inspectors?
Iowa pays $117K median vs. the U.S. average of $92K — that’s +27%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $131K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do transportation inspectors make in Iowa?
The median is $116,850 a year, that works out to about $56 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $54,250, and experienced transportation inspectors can clear $159,730. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $117K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,030/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 15.1% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a transportation inspectors 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 transportation inspectors salary is worth about $131,499 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do transportation inspectors 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.