Child, Family, and School Social Workers Salary
Child, Family, and School Social Workers in Iowa make a median of $52,250 a year, or about $25.12 an hour. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $81K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $58,800 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,064/month, about 31% 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 $52K get you in Iowa?
About child, family, and school social workers
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What this looks like in Iowa
Pay for child, family, and school social workers in Iowa runs about 12% below the U.S. median of $60K. Rent runs $1,064/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30.8% 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 child, family, and school social workers (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $52K. Top earners bring in $81K or more, a $42K spread from bottom to top.
Child, Family, and School Social Workers salary by metro in Iowa
8 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $59K | +12% | 400 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls | $57K | +8% | 170 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $56K | +8% | 800 |
| Dubuque | $52K | -1% | 100 |
| Sioux City | $51K | -3% | 220 |
| Cedar Rapids | $49K | -6% | 330 |
| Iowa City | $49K | -7% | 220 |
| Ames | $46K | -11% | 120 |
Compare to other states
Track child, family, and school social workers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Iowa numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a child, family, and school social worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $52K, rent takes 30.8% 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 $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for child, family, and school social workers in Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new child, family, and school social workers typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,354/month. At HUD’s $1,064/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 child, family, and school social worker a high-paying job in Iowa?
Local pay runs 12% below the national median — $52K here vs. $60K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Iowa compare to the national average for child, family, and school social workers?
Iowa pays $52K median vs. the U.S. average of $60K — that’s -12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $59K — below the national median.
How much do child, family, and school social workers make in Iowa?
The median is $52,250 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,240, and experienced child, family, and school social workers can clear $81,170. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $52K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,456/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 30.8% 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 child, family, and school social workers 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 child, family, and school social workers salary is worth about $58,800 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do child, family, and school social workers 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.