Childcare Workers Salary
Childcare Workers in Dubuque, IA make a median of $31,730 a year, or about $15.25 an hour. The range runs from $27K at the entry level to $37K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.33), which stretches that salary to about $36,333 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,077/month, about 49.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $32K get you in Dubuque?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Dubuque’s Regional Price Parity (87.33). 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 childcare workers
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What this looks like in Dubuque
Childcare workers pay in Dubuque tracks closely to the national median, $32K locally vs. $35K nationwide, a 9% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,077/month, which is 49.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.33 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for childcare workers in metros near Dubuque, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $30K | $32K |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $32K | $36K |
| Iowa City | $29K | $32K |
| Cedar Rapids | $28K | $32K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Dubuque, IA
Entry-level childcare workers (10th percentile) start around $27K. Mid-career wages sit at $32K. Top earners bring in $37K or more, a $11K spread from bottom to top.
Childcare Workers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Childcare Workers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $47K | +35% | 1,350 |
| Washington | $42K | +19% | 4,340 |
| Massachusetts | $41K | +17% | 13,140 |
| Colorado | $41K | +16% | 13,310 |
| California | $40K | +14% | 52,780 |
| Oregon | $39K | +10% | 5,240 |
| Vermont | $38K | +9% | N/A |
| New York | $38K | +7% | 44,020 |
| New Hampshire | $37K | +6% | 2,820 |
| Hawaii | $37K | +6% | 1,870 |
| Rhode Island | $37K | +6% | 1,800 |
| Connecticut | $37K | +5% | 12,020 |
| New Jersey | $36K | +4% | 25,070 |
| Maine | $36K | +4% | 4,990 |
| Alaska | $36K | +3% | 1,340 |
| Maryland | $36K | +3% | 9,750 |
| New Mexico | $36K | +2% | 4,120 |
| Illinois | $36K | +2% | 23,900 |
| Minnesota | $36K | +2% | 11,570 |
| Montana | $35K | +0% | 2,190 |
| Arizona | $35K | +0% | 5,530 |
| Virginia | $34K | -2% | 13,930 |
| Florida | $34K | -2% | 21,760 |
| Delaware | $33K | -5% | 1,230 |
| Wisconsin | $32K | -7% | 5,560 |
| Utah | $32K | -10% | 4,830 |
| Michigan | $31K | -11% | 14,010 |
| Missouri | $31K | -12% | 12,430 |
| Nebraska | $31K | -12% | 9,390 |
| North Dakota | $30K | -13% | 4,030 |
| Indiana | $30K | -14% | 8,280 |
| Idaho | $30K | -14% | 4,430 |
| Pennsylvania | $30K | -14% | 13,000 |
| Nevada | $30K | -15% | 3,740 |
| Ohio | $30K | -15% | 11,300 |
| Tennessee | $30K | -15% | 13,650 |
| South Carolina | $30K | -15% | 10,660 |
| Kansas | $29K | -16% | 7,430 |
| North Carolina | $29K | -17% | 12,550 |
| Kentucky | $29K | -17% | 5,820 |
| Texas | $29K | -18% | 34,160 |
| Arkansas | $28K | -19% | 5,400 |
| Iowa | $28K | -19% | 6,020 |
| Wyoming | $28K | -19% | 1,110 |
| Georgia | $28K | -20% | 21,040 |
| South Dakota | $28K | -20% | 2,370 |
| Oklahoma | $28K | -21% | 7,590 |
| West Virginia | $28K | -21% | 1,930 |
| Louisiana | $23K | -35% | 8,000 |
| Alabama | $23K | -35% | 4,580 |
| Mississippi | $22K | -37% | 5,420 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track childcare workers salary changes
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Related careers in Personal Care
Frequently asked questions
Can a childcare worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Dubuque?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $32K, rent takes 49.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,077/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for childcare workers in Dubuque?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new childcare workers typically earn — is $27K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,590/month. At HUD’s $1,077/month FMR, rent would take 68% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is childcare worker a high-paying job in Dubuque?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $32K locally vs. $35K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Dubuque compare to the national average for childcare workers?
Dubuque pays $32K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s -9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.33), the purchasing-power equivalent is $36K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do childcare workers make in Dubuque, IA?
The median is $31,730 a year, that works out to about $15 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $26,500, and experienced childcare workers can clear $37,240. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $32K enough to live in Dubuque?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,178/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,077/month, which eats 49.4% 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 childcare workers salary go in Dubuque?
Dubuque has a Regional Price Parity of 87.33 (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 childcare workers salary is worth about $36,333 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do childcare 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.