Electrical Engineers Salary
In Iowa City, IA, electrical engineers earn $107,000 at the median, or about $51.44 an hour. The range runs from $85K at the entry level to $162K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.51), which stretches that salary to about $116,927 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $962/month, or 14.2% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $107K get you in Iowa City?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Iowa City’s Regional Price Parity (91.51). 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 electrical engineers
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What this looks like in Iowa City
Pay for electrical engineers in Iowa City runs about 11% below the U.S. median of $121K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $962/month, 14.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.51 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Iowa City can be a reasonable trade-off for electrical engineerss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for electrical engineers in metros near Iowa City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Cedar Rapids | $104K | $117K |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $107K | $117K |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $107K | $120K |
| Dubuque | $104K | $119K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Iowa City, IA
Entry-level electrical engineers (10th percentile) start around $85K. Mid-career wages sit at $107K. Top earners bring in $162K or more, a $77K spread from bottom to top.
Electrical Engineers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Electrical Engineers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Mexico | $159K | +31% | 2,560 |
| California | $144K | +19% | 24,230 |
| District of Columbia | $143K | +19% | 330 |
| New Hampshire | $136K | +13% | 1,600 |
| Washington | $133K | +10% | 7,610 |
| Texas | $129K | +7% | 20,870 |
| Idaho | $129K | +7% | 1,000 |
| Massachusetts | $128K | +6% | 5,040 |
| Delaware | $127K | +5% | 660 |
| Alaska | $126K | +4% | 350 |
| Alabama | $126K | +4% | 4,600 |
| New Jersey | $125K | +4% | 2,940 |
| Oregon | $125K | +4% | 2,540 |
| Maryland | $125K | +4% | 4,650 |
| Louisiana | $124K | +3% | 990 |
| Colorado | $121K | +0% | 4,200 |
| Virginia | $119K | -1% | 7,260 |
| New York | $119K | -1% | 8,770 |
| Missouri | $119K | -2% | 2,410 |
| Maine | $115K | -5% | 1,150 |
| West Virginia | $113K | -6% | 500 |
| Wyoming | $112K | -7% | 280 |
| Vermont | $111K | -8% | 820 |
| Pennsylvania | $111K | -8% | 6,970 |
| North Dakota | $111K | -8% | 260 |
| North Carolina | $110K | -9% | 7,090 |
| Minnesota | $110K | -9% | 3,150 |
| Illinois | $108K | -11% | 5,460 |
| Oklahoma | $108K | -11% | 2,080 |
| Nevada | $107K | -11% | 1,100 |
| Nebraska | $107K | -11% | 1,060 |
| Hawaii | $106K | -12% | 1,080 |
| Michigan | $106K | -12% | 10,840 |
| Iowa | $106K | -12% | 1,280 |
| Utah | $106K | -12% | 1,680 |
| Mississippi | $105K | -13% | 1,130 |
| Florida | $105K | -13% | 9,220 |
| Tennessee | $104K | -13% | 2,830 |
| Connecticut | $104K | -14% | 2,930 |
| Indiana | $103K | -15% | 4,000 |
| Kansas | $103K | -15% | 2,100 |
| Ohio | $101K | -17% | 6,360 |
| Arizona | $101K | -17% | 5,370 |
| Wisconsin | $100K | -17% | 3,550 |
| South Dakota | $99K | -18% | 530 |
| Kentucky | $99K | -18% | 1,540 |
| South Carolina | $98K | -18% | 3,490 |
| Arkansas | $97K | -20% | 900 |
| Montana | $87K | -28% | 790 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track electrical engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Iowa City numbers change.
Related careers in Engineering
Frequently asked questions
Can a electrical engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa City?
Yes — at the median salary of $107K, rent takes 14.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $962/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for electrical engineers in Iowa City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new electrical engineers typically earn — is $85K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,075/month. At HUD’s $962/month FMR, rent would take 19% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is electrical engineer a high-paying job in Iowa City?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $107K here vs. $121K nationally. Cost of living is 8% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Iowa City compare to the national average for electrical engineers?
Iowa City pays $107K median vs. the U.S. average of $121K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.51), the purchasing-power equivalent is $117K — below the national median.
How much do electrical engineers make in Iowa City, IA?
The median is $107,000 a year, that works out to about $51 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $84,580, and experienced electrical engineers can clear $161,890. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $107K enough to live in Iowa City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,499/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $962/month, which eats 14.8% 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 City?
Iowa City has a Regional Price Parity of 91.51 (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 $116,927 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.