Travel Agents Salary
In Iowa, travel agents earn $45,440 at the median, or about $21.85 an hour. The range runs from $33K at the entry level to $62K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $51,137 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,064/month, about 34.3% 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 $45K get you in Iowa?
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What this looks like in Iowa
Travel agents pay in Iowa tracks closely to the national median, $45K locally vs. $50K nationwide, a 9% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,064/month, which is 35.1% 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. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Iowa
Entry-level travel agents (10th percentile) start around $33K. Mid-career wages sit at $45K. Top earners bring in $62K or more, a $29K spread from bottom to top.
Travel Agents salary by metro in Iowa
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $47K | +4% | 80 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $45K | -2% | 30 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls | $40K | -12% | 30 |
Compare to other states
Track travel agents salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Iowa numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a travel agent afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $45K, rent takes 35.1% 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 travel agents in Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new travel agents typically earn — is $33K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,963/month. At HUD’s $1,064/month FMR, rent would take 54% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is travel agent a high-paying job in Iowa?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $45K locally vs. $50K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Iowa compare to the national average for travel agents?
Iowa pays $45K median vs. the U.S. average of $50K — that’s -9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $51K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do travel agents make in Iowa?
The median is $45,440 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $32,710, and experienced travel agents can clear $62,180. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $45K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,032/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 35.1% 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 travel agents 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 travel agents salary is worth about $51,137 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do travel agents 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.