Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders Salary
Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders in Iowa make a median of $62,520 a year, or about $30.06 an hour. The range runs from $42K at the entry level to $83K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $70,358 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,064/month, or 25.9% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Iowa. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $63K get you in Iowa?
About cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders
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What this looks like in Iowa
Iowa sits well above the national pay line for cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders, local pay runs about 51% higher than the U.S. median of $41K. Rent runs $1,064/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26% 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 cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders (10th percentile) start around $42K. Mid-career wages sit at $63K. Top earners bring in $83K or more, a $41K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Iowa numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a cooling and freezing equipment operators and tender afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
Yes — at the median salary of $63K, rent takes 26% 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 cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders in Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders typically earn — is $42K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,503/month. At HUD’s $1,064/month FMR, rent would take 43% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is cooling and freezing equipment operators and tender a high-paying job in Iowa?
Local pay is 51% above the national median — $63K here vs. $41K nationally.
How does Iowa compare to the national average for cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders?
Iowa pays $63K median vs. the U.S. average of $41K — that’s +51%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $70K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders make in Iowa?
The median is $62,520 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $41,720, and experienced cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders can clear $82,790. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $63K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,095/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 26% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders 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 cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders salary is worth about $70,358 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders 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.