Electrical Engineers Salary
In Iowa, electrical engineers earn $105,820 at the median, or about $50.87 an hour. The range runs from $77K at the entry level to $155K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $119,086 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,064/month, or 15.9% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Iowa. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $106K get you in Iowa?
About electrical engineers
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Iowa
Pay for electrical engineers in Iowa runs about 12% below the U.S. median of $121K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,064/month, 16.5% 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 electrical engineerss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Iowa
Entry-level electrical engineers (10th percentile) start around $77K. Mid-career wages sit at $106K. Top earners bring in $155K or more, a $79K spread from bottom to top.
Electrical Engineers salary by metro in Iowa
6 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $107K | +1% | 280 |
| Iowa City | $107K | +1% | 60 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $107K | +1% | 170 |
| Cedar Rapids | $104K | -1% | 390 |
| Dubuque | $104K | -1% | 70 |
| Ames | $104K | -2% | 40 |
Compare to other states
Track electrical engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Iowa numbers change.
Related careers in Engineering
Frequently asked questions
Can a electrical engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
Yes — at the median salary of $106K, rent takes 16.5% 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 electrical engineers in Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new electrical engineers typically earn — is $77K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,603/month. At HUD’s $1,064/month FMR, rent would take 23% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is electrical engineer a high-paying job in Iowa?
Local pay runs 12% below the national median — $106K here vs. $121K 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 electrical engineers?
Iowa pays $106K median vs. the U.S. average of $121K — that’s -12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $119K — below the national median.
How much do electrical engineers make in Iowa?
The median is $105,820 a year, that works out to about $51 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $76,720, and experienced electrical engineers can clear $155,460. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $106K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,435/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 16.5% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a electrical engineers 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 electrical engineers salary is worth about $119,086 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do electrical engineers 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.