Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse Salary
Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouses in Iowa City, IA make a median of $31,700 a year, or about $15.24 an hour. The range runs from $29K at the entry level to $47K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.51), which stretches that salary to about $34,641 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $962/month, about 44.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $32K 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.
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What this looks like in Iowa City
Pay for farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse in Iowa City runs about 11% below the U.S. median of $36K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $962/month, which is 44.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. 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. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouses.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouses in metros near Iowa City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $36K | $40K |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $43K | $48K |
| Cedar Rapids | $29K | $33K |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls | $39K | $44K |
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 farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouses (10th percentile) start around $29K. Mid-career wages sit at $32K. Top earners bring in $47K or more, a $18K spread from bottom to top.
Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wyoming | $55K | +55% | 50 |
| South Dakota | $42K | +19% | 190 |
| Montana | $41K | +16% | 720 |
| Illinois | $41K | +15% | 2,850 |
| New York | $41K | +15% | 2,760 |
| Nebraska | $40K | +11% | 440 |
| Washington | $39K | +10% | 13,490 |
| Maine | $39K | +10% | 280 |
| Michigan | $39K | +8% | 5,410 |
| Maryland | $38K | +8% | 1,380 |
| Massachusetts | $38K | +7% | 1,340 |
| Colorado | $38K | +7% | 2,450 |
| Minnesota | $38K | +7% | 1,200 |
| New Jersey | $38K | +6% | 2,430 |
| Iowa | $38K | +5% | 930 |
| Rhode Island | $38K | +5% | 230 |
| Ohio | $37K | +5% | 1,990 |
| Kansas | $37K | +4% | 900 |
| Pennsylvania | $37K | +4% | 2,940 |
| Hawaii | $37K | +4% | 700 |
| Indiana | $37K | +4% | 910 |
| Connecticut | $37K | +4% | 460 |
| Alaska | $37K | +3% | 120 |
| Missouri | $36K | +2% | 2,600 |
| New Hampshire | $36K | +1% | 220 |
| Virginia | $36K | -0% | 1,590 |
| California | $36K | -0% | 172,260 |
| Wisconsin | $35K | -1% | 1,490 |
| Vermont | $35K | -1% | 220 |
| South Carolina | $35K | -2% | 680 |
| Arizona | $35K | -2% | 7,110 |
| Idaho | $34K | -3% | 2,420 |
| Oregon | $34K | -4% | 6,780 |
| North Carolina | $34K | -5% | 2,510 |
| Alabama | $34K | -5% | 740 |
| Utah | $33K | -6% | 670 |
| Nevada | $33K | -7% | 660 |
| Louisiana | $33K | -7% | 570 |
| Delaware | $33K | -7% | 220 |
| Oklahoma | $33K | -7% | 1,080 |
| Kentucky | $33K | -7% | 510 |
| Arkansas | $33K | -8% | 390 |
| Texas | $33K | -8% | 4,290 |
| New Mexico | $31K | -13% | 1,960 |
| North Dakota | $31K | -13% | 60 |
| West Virginia | $31K | -13% | 100 |
| Tennessee | $31K | -13% | 1,080 |
| Florida | $31K | -14% | 9,180 |
| Georgia | $30K | -15% | 1,610 |
| Mississippi | $30K | -15% | 300 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa City?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $32K, rent takes 44.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $962/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouses in Iowa City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouses typically earn — is $29K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,759/month. At HUD’s $962/month FMR, rent would take 55% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse a high-paying job in Iowa City?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $32K here vs. $36K 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 farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouses?
Iowa City pays $32K median vs. the U.S. average of $36K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.51), the purchasing-power equivalent is $35K — below the national median.
How much do farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouses make in Iowa City, IA?
The median is $31,700 a year, that works out to about $15 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $29,310, and experienced farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouses can clear $47,010. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $32K enough to live in Iowa City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,176/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $962/month, which eats 44.2% 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 farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse 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 farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse salary is worth about $34,641 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouses 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.