Cutters and Trimmers, Hand Salary
Cutters and Trimmers, Hands in Iowa make a median of $48,580 a year, or about $23.35 an hour. The range runs from $46K at the entry level to $50K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $54,670 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,064/month, about 32.1% of take-home, which is tight.
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 $49K get you in Iowa?
About cutters and trimmers, hands
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Iowa
Iowa sits well above the national pay line for cutters and trimmers, hand, local pay runs about 28% higher than the U.S. median of $38K. 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. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Iowa
Entry-level cutters and trimmers, hands (10th percentile) start around $46K. Mid-career wages sit at $49K. Top earners bring in $50K or more, a $4K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track cutters and trimmers, hand salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Iowa numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Frequently asked questions
Can a cutters and trimmers, hand afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $49K, 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 cutters and trimmers, hands in Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new cutters and trimmers, hands typically earn — is $46K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,762/month. At HUD’s $1,064/month FMR, rent would take 39% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is cutters and trimmers, hand a high-paying job in Iowa?
Local pay is 28% above the national median — $49K here vs. $38K nationally.
How does Iowa compare to the national average for cutters and trimmers, hands?
Iowa pays $49K median vs. the U.S. average of $38K — that’s +28%. 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 cutters and trimmers, hands make in Iowa?
The median is $48,580 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $46,030, and experienced cutters and trimmers, hands can clear $50,370. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $49K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,227/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 cutters and trimmers, hand 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 cutters and trimmers, hand salary is worth about $54,670 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do cutters and trimmers, hands 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.