Curators Salary
Curators in Iowa make a median of $53,830 a year, or about $25.88 an hour. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $90K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $60,578 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,064/month, about 30.1% 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 $54K get you in Iowa?
About curators
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What this looks like in Iowa
Pay for curators in Iowa runs about 15% below the U.S. median of $63K. Rent runs $1,064/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29.9% 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 curators (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $54K. Top earners bring in $90K or more, a $58K spread from bottom to top.
Curators salary by metro in Iowa
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $49K | -10% | 40 |
Compare to other states
Track curators salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Iowa numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a curator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
Yes — at the median salary of $54K, rent takes 29.9% 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 curators in Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new curators typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,915/month. At HUD’s $1,064/month FMR, rent would take 56% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is curator a high-paying job in Iowa?
Local pay runs 15% below the national median — $54K here vs. $63K 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 curators?
Iowa pays $54K median vs. the U.S. average of $63K — that’s -15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $61K — below the national median.
How much do curators make in Iowa?
The median is $53,830 a year, that works out to about $26 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,910, and experienced curators can clear $89,780. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $54K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,554/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 29.9% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a curators 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 curators salary is worth about $60,578 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do curators 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.