Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers Salary
In Ames, IA, electrical power-line installers and repairers earn $100,170 at the median, or about $48.16 an hour. The range runs from $76K at the entry level to $111K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.83), which stretches that salary to about $112,766 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,153/month, or 18.2% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $100K get you in Ames?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Ames’s Regional Price Parity (88.83). 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 power-line installers and repairers
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What this looks like in Ames
Electrical power-line installers and repairers pay in Ames tracks closely to the national median, $100K locally vs. $95K nationwide, a 5% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,153/month, 18.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.83 (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.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for electrical power-line installers and repairers in metros near Ames, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $102K | $111K |
| Cedar Rapids | $103K | $116K |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $98K | $110K |
| Sioux City | $102K | $118K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Ames, IA
Entry-level electrical power-line installers and repairers (10th percentile) start around $76K. Mid-career wages sit at $100K. Top earners bring in $111K or more, a $35K spread from bottom to top.
Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $134K | +41% | 600 |
| Washington | $133K | +40% | 2,340 |
| Oregon | $131K | +38% | 1,640 |
| California | $129K | +35% | 8,930 |
| Connecticut | $127K | +33% | 940 |
| Idaho | $125K | +32% | 860 |
| New Jersey | $122K | +28% | 1,310 |
| New York | $121K | +27% | 5,840 |
| Montana | $110K | +16% | 680 |
| Massachusetts | $110K | +16% | 2,350 |
| Vermont | $109K | +14% | 270 |
| Illinois | $108K | +13% | 3,090 |
| Michigan | $107K | +12% | 2,800 |
| Pennsylvania | $106K | +11% | 4,150 |
| Maryland | $106K | +11% | 1,830 |
| North Dakota | $106K | +11% | 740 |
| Wisconsin | $106K | +11% | 2,520 |
| Rhode Island | $105K | +10% | 120 |
| Minnesota | $104K | +9% | 2,190 |
| Colorado | $104K | +9% | 2,370 |
| New Hampshire | $102K | +7% | 560 |
| Indiana | $102K | +7% | 2,540 |
| Kansas | $102K | +7% | 1,610 |
| District of Columbia | $101K | +6% | 150 |
| Utah | $101K | +6% | 1,030 |
| Iowa | $100K | +5% | 1,390 |
| South Dakota | $97K | +2% | 740 |
| Delaware | $97K | +2% | 330 |
| Nevada | $97K | +1% | 920 |
| Missouri | $96K | +1% | 3,440 |
| Wyoming | $94K | -2% | 670 |
| Ohio | $93K | -2% | 4,260 |
| Alaska | $92K | -3% | 490 |
| Nebraska | $92K | -3% | 1,490 |
| Alabama | $92K | -3% | 2,730 |
| Florida | $87K | -9% | 6,420 |
| West Virginia | $84K | -12% | 1,260 |
| Tennessee | $84K | -12% | 3,900 |
| Maine | $83K | -13% | 1,160 |
| Arkansas | $81K | -15% | 1,510 |
| Georgia | $80K | -16% | 4,960 |
| Texas | $79K | -17% | 17,280 |
| North Carolina | $77K | -19% | 5,650 |
| Kentucky | $77K | -19% | 2,930 |
| South Carolina | $77K | -19% | 2,690 |
| Virginia | $77K | -20% | 2,920 |
| New Mexico | $76K | -20% | 1,020 |
| Louisiana | $76K | -20% | 2,520 |
| Oklahoma | $76K | -20% | 3,290 |
| Mississippi | $76K | -20% | 2,290 |
| Arizona | $75K | -21% | 3,360 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track electrical power-line installers and repairers salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a electrical power-line installers and repairer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Ames?
Yes — at the median salary of $100K, rent takes 18.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,153/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for electrical power-line installers and repairers in Ames?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new electrical power-line installers and repairers typically earn — is $76K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,572/month. At HUD’s $1,153/month FMR, rent would take 25% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is electrical power-line installers and repairer a high-paying job in Ames?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $100K locally vs. $95K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Ames compare to the national average for electrical power-line installers and repairers?
Ames pays $100K median vs. the U.S. average of $95K — that’s +5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.83), the purchasing-power equivalent is $113K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do electrical power-line installers and repairers make in Ames, IA?
The median is $100,170 a year, that works out to about $48 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $76,200, and experienced electrical power-line installers and repairers can clear $111,370. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $100K enough to live in Ames?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,131/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,153/month, which eats 18.8% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a electrical power-line installers and repairers salary go in Ames?
Ames has a Regional Price Parity of 88.83 (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 power-line installers and repairers salary is worth about $112,766 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do electrical power-line installers and repairers 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.