Barbers Salary
In Iowa, barbers earn $58,900 at the median, or about $28.32 an hour. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $82K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $66,284 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,064/month, or 27.5% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Iowa. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $59K actually covers in Iowa, month by month
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What this looks like in Iowa
Iowa sits well above the national pay line for barbers, local pay runs about 54% higher than the U.S. median of $38K. Rent runs $1,064/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27.5% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. 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 barbers (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $59K. Top earners bring in $82K or more, a $51K spread from bottom to top.
Barbers salary by metro in Iowa
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $31K | -47% | 30 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Iowa numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a barber afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
Yes — at the median salary of $59K, rent takes 27.5% 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 barbers in Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new barbers typically earn — is $31K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,145/month. At HUD’s $1,064/month FMR, rent would take 50% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is barber a high-paying job in Iowa?
Local pay is 54% above the national median — $59K here vs. $38K nationally.
How does Iowa compare to the national average for barbers?
Iowa pays $59K median vs. the U.S. average of $38K — that’s +54%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $66K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do barbers make in Iowa?
The median is $58,900 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,200, and experienced barbers can clear $81,710. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $59K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,869/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 27.5% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a barbers 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 barbers salary is worth about $66,284 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do barbers 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.