How much does a bus driver make in Ames?

$54,780a year

Median yearly pay for bus drivers in the Ames, IA metro area. That is $26.34 an hour or $4,565 a month.

Hourly: $26.34
Vs. national median: +14%
Rank among cities: 61 of 348
Jobs in the area: 220

Pay range

Lowest 10%: $37,850Median: $54,780Highest 10%: $95,320

Percentile	Yearly	Hourly
10th	$37,850	$18.20
25th	$46,590	$22.40
Median	$54,780	$26.34
75th	$77,530	$37.27
90th	$95,320	$45.83

Other cities in Iowa

Median yearly pay for bus drivers.

Omaha, NE	$50,850
Sioux City, IA	$48,760
Iowa City, IA	$48,530
Waterloo, IA	$47,100
Davenport, IA	$46,720
Cedar Rapids, IA	$46,220
Des Moines, IA	$46,210

Bus Driver salary in Iowa Bus Driver salary in all states

Related jobs in Ames

Same field, median yearly pay.

First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Worker	$58,270
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver	$54,510
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operator	$48,310
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector	$47,810
Laborer and Freight	$40,280
Light Truck Driver	$40,050
Cleaners of Vehicle and Equipment	$36,390
Stocker and Order Filler	$36,240
Packer and Packager	$34,490
Shuttle Driver and Chauffeur	$31,670

Salaries for every job in Ames, IA

Frequently asked questions

How much does a bus driver make an hour in Ames?

The median hourly pay in the Ames, IA metro area is $26.34 ($54,780 a year).

Do bus drivers make more in Ames than the national average?

Yes: $54,780 against $47,920 nationally, 14% more.

How does Ames compare with the rest of Iowa?

The median in Iowa is $46,320, so Ames pays 18% more.

Where does Ames rank for bus driver pay?

61 of 348 metro areas with data.

How much does a bus driver make starting out in Ames?

The lowest-paid 10% make $37,850 or less a year; the top 10% make $95,320 or more.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS): pay in May 2025, published by BLS in 2026. Hourly pay is the yearly figure divided by 2,080 hours.