Environmental Engineers Salary
In Iowa, environmental engineers earn $94,830 at the median, or about $45.59 an hour. The range runs from $67K at the entry level to $134K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $106,718 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,064/month, or 17.8% 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 $95K get you in Iowa?
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What this looks like in Iowa
Pay for environmental engineers in Iowa runs about 11% below the U.S. median of $107K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,064/month, 18.2% 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 environmental engineerss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Iowa
Entry-level environmental engineers (10th percentile) start around $67K. Mid-career wages sit at $95K. Top earners bring in $134K or more, a $67K spread from bottom to top.
Environmental Engineers salary by metro in Iowa
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $95K | -0% | 80 |
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Iowa numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a environmental engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
Yes — at the median salary of $95K, rent takes 18.2% 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 environmental engineers in Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new environmental engineers typically earn — is $67K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,007/month. At HUD’s $1,064/month FMR, rent would take 27% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is environmental engineer a high-paying job in Iowa?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $95K here vs. $107K 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 environmental engineers?
Iowa pays $95K median vs. the U.S. average of $107K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $107K — below the national median.
How much do environmental engineers make in Iowa?
The median is $94,830 a year, that works out to about $46 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $66,780, and experienced environmental engineers can clear $134,050. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $95K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,843/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 18.2% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a environmental 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 environmental engineers salary is worth about $106,718 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do environmental 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.