Construction Laborers Salary
Construction Laborers in Iowa make a median of $48,490 a year, or about $23.31 an hour. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $69K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $54,569 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,064/month, about 32.2% 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 $48K get you in Iowa?
About construction laborers
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What this looks like in Iowa
Construction laborers pay in Iowa tracks closely to the national median, $48K locally vs. $47K nationwide, a 3% difference. Rent runs $1,064/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33% 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. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Iowa
Entry-level construction laborers (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $48K. Top earners bring in $69K or more, a $31K spread from bottom to top.
Construction Laborers 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 | $54K | +12% | 1,320 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $50K | +3% | 3,510 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls | $50K | +3% | 710 |
| Ames | $50K | +3% | 600 |
| Dubuque | $49K | +1% | 500 |
| Cedar Rapids | $49K | +0% | 990 |
| Sioux City | $49K | +0% | 560 |
| Iowa City | $48K | -1% | 800 |
Compare to other states
Track construction laborers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Iowa numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a construction laborer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $48K, rent takes 33% 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 construction laborers in Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new construction laborers typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,291/month. At HUD’s $1,064/month FMR, rent would take 46% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is construction laborer a high-paying job in Iowa?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $48K locally vs. $47K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Iowa compare to the national average for construction laborers?
Iowa pays $48K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s +3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $55K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do construction laborers make in Iowa?
The median is $48,490 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,180, and experienced construction laborers can clear $68,900. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $48K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,222/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 33% 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 construction laborers 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 construction laborers salary is worth about $54,569 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do construction laborers 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.