Agricultural Technicians Salary
The median pay for a agricultural technicians in Cedar Rapids, IA is $40,110/year ($19.29/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $79K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.96), which stretches that salary to about $45,088 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $956/month, about 34.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $40K get you in Cedar Rapids?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Cedar Rapids’s Regional Price Parity (88.96). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About agricultural technicians
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What this looks like in Cedar Rapids
Pay for agricultural technicians in Cedar Rapids runs about 19% below the U.S. median of $50K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $956/month, which is 35.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.96 (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 agricultural technicianss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for agricultural technicians in metros near Cedar Rapids, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $65K | $71K |
| Ames | $48K | $55K |
| Iowa City | $60K | $65K |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $44K | $49K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Cedar Rapids, IA
Entry-level agricultural technicians (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $40K. Top earners bring in $79K or more, a $43K spread from bottom to top.
Agricultural Technicians pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Agricultural Technicians salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa | $64K | +29% | N/A |
| Wyoming | $63K | +27% | 30 |
| Arizona | $63K | +27% | N/A |
| California | $60K | +22% | 2,420 |
| Kentucky | $60K | +21% | 210 |
| Minnesota | $57K | +15% | 530 |
| New Jersey | $54K | +10% | N/A |
| Missouri | $54K | +9% | 420 |
| Delaware | $53K | +6% | N/A |
| North Carolina | $51K | +4% | 550 |
| Texas | $50K | +1% | 120 |
| Maryland | $50K | +0% | 200 |
| Georgia | $49K | -1% | 1,020 |
| Idaho | $49K | -2% | 650 |
| Pennsylvania | $49K | -2% | 110 |
| Mississippi | $49K | -2% | 190 |
| Washington | $48K | -3% | 470 |
| Hawaii | $48K | -3% | 150 |
| Nebraska | $47K | -4% | 580 |
| Maine | $47K | -4% | 50 |
| Kansas | $47K | -5% | 450 |
| Colorado | $47K | -5% | 100 |
| North Dakota | $47K | -5% | 100 |
| Oregon | $47K | -6% | 480 |
| Arkansas | $47K | -6% | 260 |
| Utah | $47K | -6% | 40 |
| Wisconsin | $46K | -6% | 620 |
| Illinois | $46K | -6% | 700 |
| Indiana | $46K | -7% | 410 |
| New York | $46K | -8% | 380 |
| Tennessee | $45K | -9% | 60 |
| Nevada | $44K | -12% | 40 |
| Michigan | $43K | -14% | 450 |
| Florida | $43K | -14% | 240 |
| New Hampshire | $43K | -14% | 30 |
| South Dakota | $41K | -17% | 350 |
| South Carolina | $41K | -17% | 100 |
| Virginia | $41K | -17% | 170 |
| Oklahoma | $38K | -24% | N/A |
Showing 1–10 of 39 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track agricultural technicians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Cedar Rapids numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a agricultural technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Cedar Rapids?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $40K, rent takes 35.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $956/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for agricultural technicians in Cedar Rapids?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new agricultural technicians typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,140/month. At HUD’s $956/month FMR, rent would take 45% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is agricultural technician a high-paying job in Cedar Rapids?
Local pay runs 19% below the national median — $40K here vs. $50K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Cedar Rapids compare to the national average for agricultural technicians?
Cedar Rapids pays $40K median vs. the U.S. average of $50K — that’s -19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.96), the purchasing-power equivalent is $45K — below the national median.
How much do agricultural technicians make in Cedar Rapids, IA?
The median is $40,110 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,660, and experienced agricultural technicians can clear $78,610. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $40K enough to live in Cedar Rapids?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,700/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $956/month, which eats 35.4% 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 agricultural technicians salary go in Cedar Rapids?
Cedar Rapids has a Regional Price Parity of 88.96 (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 agricultural technicians salary is worth about $45,088 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do agricultural technicians 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.