Data Scientist Salary
The median pay for a data scientists in Iowa is $95,830/year ($46.07/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $56K at the entry level to $147K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $107,844 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,064/month, or 17.6% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Iowa. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $96K actually covers in Iowa, month by month
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What this looks like in Iowa
Pay for data scientists in Iowa runs about 20% below the U.S. median of $120K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,064/month, 18% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. 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. Lower pay, lower costs, Iowa can be a reasonable trade-off for data scientists who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Iowa
Entry-level data scientists (10th percentile) start around $56K. Mid-career wages sit at $96K. Top earners bring in $147K or more, a $91K spread from bottom to top.
Data Scientists 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 | $106K | +11% | 280 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $103K | +8% | 1,240 |
| Cedar Rapids | $99K | +4% | 180 |
| Sioux City | $90K | -6% | 40 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls | $82K | -14% | 70 |
| Ames | $79K | -17% | 100 |
| Dubuque | $75K | -22% | 90 |
| Iowa City | $72K | -25% | 170 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Iowa numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a data scientist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
Yes — at the median salary of $96K, rent takes 18% 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 data scientists in Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new data scientists typically earn — is $56K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,693/month. At HUD’s $1,064/month FMR, rent would take 29% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is data scientist a high-paying job in Iowa?
Local pay runs 20% below the national median — $96K here vs. $120K 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 data scientists?
Iowa pays $96K median vs. the U.S. average of $120K — that’s -20%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $108K — below the national median.
How much do data scientists make in Iowa?
The median is $95,830 a year, that works out to about $46 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $56,070, and experienced data scientists can clear $146,700. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $96K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,897/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 18% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a data scientists 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 data scientists salary is worth about $107,844 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do data scientists 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.