Dishwashers Salary
The median pay for a dishwashers in Dubuque, IA is $29,380/year ($14.13/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $21K at the entry level to $36K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.33), which stretches that salary to about $33,643 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,077/month, about 51.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $29K get you in Dubuque?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Dubuque’s Regional Price Parity (87.33). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About dishwashers
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What this looks like in Dubuque
Pay for dishwashers in Dubuque runs about 16% below the U.S. median of $35K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,077/month, which is 53.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.33 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for dishwasherss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for dishwashers in metros near Dubuque, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $30K | $33K |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $31K | $35K |
| Cedar Rapids | $29K | $33K |
| Iowa City | $30K | $32K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Dubuque, IA
Entry-level dishwashers (10th percentile) start around $21K. Mid-career wages sit at $29K. Top earners bring in $36K or more, a $15K spread from bottom to top.
Dishwashers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Dishwashers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $40K | +15% | 12,630 |
| District of Columbia | $39K | +11% | 3,580 |
| California | $38K | +9% | 74,160 |
| Colorado | $38K | +9% | 8,500 |
| Hawaii | $38K | +8% | 4,520 |
| Massachusetts | $37K | +7% | 14,100 |
| Illinois | $36K | +4% | 16,250 |
| Oregon | $36K | +4% | 6,680 |
| Vermont | $36K | +3% | 1,280 |
| New Jersey | $36K | +3% | 7,450 |
| Delaware | $36K | +3% | 1,520 |
| Maine | $36K | +2% | 2,940 |
| Connecticut | $36K | +2% | 7,340 |
| New York | $35K | +2% | 30,680 |
| Arizona | $35K | +1% | 10,120 |
| New Hampshire | $35K | +0% | 2,370 |
| Nevada | $35K | +0% | 11,360 |
| Minnesota | $34K | -2% | 8,710 |
| Maryland | $34K | -2% | 9,310 |
| Rhode Island | $34K | -2% | 2,790 |
| Alaska | $34K | -3% | 1,300 |
| Virginia | $33K | -5% | 12,520 |
| Missouri | $32K | -8% | 7,200 |
| Utah | $32K | -9% | 3,650 |
| Michigan | $31K | -10% | 11,510 |
| Florida | $31K | -10% | 40,480 |
| Tennessee | $31K | -12% | 7,810 |
| New Mexico | $31K | -12% | 3,250 |
| North Carolina | $30K | -13% | 12,050 |
| Montana | $30K | -13% | 2,120 |
| North Dakota | $30K | -14% | 800 |
| Pennsylvania | $30K | -14% | 19,570 |
| Idaho | $30K | -14% | 2,730 |
| Nebraska | $30K | -15% | 2,170 |
| Georgia | $30K | -15% | 11,300 |
| Texas | $30K | -15% | 33,630 |
| Wyoming | $30K | -15% | 1,060 |
| Ohio | $30K | -15% | 14,380 |
| Indiana | $29K | -15% | 7,000 |
| Iowa | $29K | -16% | 3,290 |
| South Carolina | $29K | -16% | 7,550 |
| Wisconsin | $29K | -16% | 8,190 |
| Kentucky | $29K | -17% | 4,890 |
| Alabama | $29K | -17% | 3,540 |
| South Dakota | $28K | -19% | 1,240 |
| Kansas | $28K | -19% | 2,480 |
| Arkansas | $28K | -21% | 2,630 |
| Oklahoma | $27K | -21% | 4,060 |
| West Virginia | $26K | -24% | 1,640 |
| Louisiana | $26K | -24% | 4,210 |
| Mississippi | $26K | -24% | 2,880 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track dishwashers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Dubuque numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a dishwasher afford a 2BR apartment alone in Dubuque?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $29K, rent takes 53.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,077/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $600/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for dishwashers in Dubuque?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new dishwashers typically earn — is $21K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,273/month. At HUD’s $1,077/month FMR, rent would take 85% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is dishwasher a high-paying job in Dubuque?
Local pay runs 16% below the national median — $29K here vs. $35K nationally. Cost of living is 13% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Dubuque compare to the national average for dishwashers?
Dubuque pays $29K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s -16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.33), the purchasing-power equivalent is $34K — below the national median.
How much do dishwashers make in Dubuque, IA?
The median is $29,380 a year, that works out to about $14 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $21,220, and experienced dishwashers can clear $35,790. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $29K enough to live in Dubuque?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,030/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,077/month, which eats 53.1% 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 dishwashers salary go in Dubuque?
Dubuque has a Regional Price Parity of 87.33 (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 dishwashers salary is worth about $33,643 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do dishwashers 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.