Financial Examiners Salary
Financial Examiners in Iowa make a median of $80,370 a year, or about $38.64 an hour. The range runs from $56K at the entry level to $149K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $90,446 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,064/month, or 20.9% 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 $80K get you in Iowa?
About financial examiners
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What this looks like in Iowa
Pay for financial examiners in Iowa runs about 15% below the U.S. median of $94K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,064/month, 21% 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 financial examinerss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Iowa
Entry-level financial examiners (10th percentile) start around $56K. Mid-career wages sit at $80K. Top earners bring in $149K or more, a $94K spread from bottom to top.
Financial Examiners salary by metro in Iowa
7 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sioux City | $92K | +15% | 40 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $85K | +6% | 460 |
| Cedar Rapids | $83K | +3% | 90 |
| Dubuque | $70K | -12% | 30 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls | $69K | -14% | 30 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $66K | -18% | 70 |
| Iowa City | $65K | -19% | 40 |
Compare to other states
Track financial examiners salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Iowa numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a financial examiner afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
Yes — at the median salary of $80K, rent takes 21% 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 financial examiners in Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new financial examiners typically earn — is $56K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,339/month. At HUD’s $1,064/month FMR, rent would take 32% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is financial examiner a high-paying job in Iowa?
Local pay runs 15% below the national median — $80K here vs. $94K 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 financial examiners?
Iowa pays $80K median vs. the U.S. average of $94K — that’s -15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $90K — below the national median.
How much do financial examiners make in Iowa?
The median is $80,370 a year, that works out to about $39 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $55,650, and experienced financial examiners can clear $149,160. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $80K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,064/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 21% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a financial examiners 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 financial examiners salary is worth about $90,446 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do financial examiners 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.