Financial Examiners Salary
Financial Examiners in Iowa City, IA make a median of $65,240 a year, or about $31.37 an hour. The range runs from $58K at the entry level to $106K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.51), which stretches that salary to about $71,293 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $962/month, or 22.4% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $65K 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 financial examiners
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What this looks like in Iowa City
Pay for financial examiners in Iowa City runs about 31% below the U.S. median of $94K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $962/month, 22.6% 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 financial examinerss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for financial examiners in metros near Iowa City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $85K | $93K |
| Cedar Rapids | $83K | $93K |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $66K | $74K |
| Sioux City | $92K | $107K |
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 financial examiners (10th percentile) start around $58K. Mid-career wages sit at $65K. Top earners bring in $106K or more, a $48K spread from bottom to top.
Financial Examiners pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Financial Examiners salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $199K | +111% | 470 |
| New York | $129K | +37% | 13,480 |
| Connecticut | $121K | +28% | N/A |
| Washington | $114K | +21% | 420 |
| Massachusetts | $111K | +18% | 950 |
| New Jersey | $106K | +13% | 2,190 |
| California | $106K | +13% | 4,200 |
| Minnesota | $104K | +11% | 1,280 |
| Virginia | $104K | +11% | 1,280 |
| Maryland | $103K | +9% | 350 |
| North Carolina | $101K | +7% | 2,610 |
| Colorado | $100K | +6% | 1,910 |
| Oregon | $95K | +0% | 820 |
| Rhode Island | $94K | -0% | 320 |
| Illinois | $93K | -1% | 4,050 |
| Delaware | $92K | -2% | 430 |
| Utah | $92K | -2% | 960 |
| Alaska | $91K | -4% | 50 |
| South Dakota | $89K | -6% | 150 |
| Tennessee | $87K | -7% | 500 |
| South Carolina | $86K | -8% | 480 |
| Wisconsin | $86K | -8% | 580 |
| Mississippi | $85K | -9% | 420 |
| Idaho | $85K | -9% | 210 |
| Nevada | $85K | -10% | 180 |
| Louisiana | $84K | -10% | 240 |
| North Dakota | $83K | -12% | 220 |
| Indiana | $81K | -14% | 420 |
| Montana | $81K | -14% | 140 |
| Maine | $81K | -14% | 230 |
| New Hampshire | $81K | -14% | 130 |
| Oklahoma | $81K | -14% | 400 |
| Kansas | $80K | -15% | 470 |
| Iowa | $80K | -15% | 1,020 |
| Arizona | $80K | -15% | 1,910 |
| Missouri | $80K | -15% | 2,290 |
| Pennsylvania | $79K | -17% | 2,590 |
| Texas | $78K | -17% | 5,230 |
| Georgia | $78K | -17% | 1,450 |
| Kentucky | $76K | -19% | 640 |
| Florida | $76K | -19% | 4,190 |
| Vermont | $75K | -21% | 170 |
| Nebraska | $74K | -21% | 840 |
| Michigan | $71K | -25% | 710 |
| Ohio | $69K | -27% | 3,680 |
| New Mexico | $68K | -28% | 220 |
| Hawaii | $63K | -33% | 270 |
| West Virginia | $61K | -36% | 240 |
| Arkansas | $58K | -39% | 540 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track financial examiners salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Iowa City numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a financial examiner afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa City?
Yes — at the median salary of $65K, rent takes 22.6% 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 financial examiners in Iowa City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new financial examiners typically earn — is $58K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,456/month. At HUD’s $962/month FMR, rent would take 28% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is financial examiner a high-paying job in Iowa City?
Local pay runs 31% below the national median — $65K here vs. $94K 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 financial examiners?
Iowa City pays $65K median vs. the U.S. average of $94K — that’s -31%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.51), the purchasing-power equivalent is $71K — below the national median.
How much do financial examiners make in Iowa City, IA?
The median is $65,240 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $57,600, and experienced financial examiners can clear $105,930. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $65K enough to live in Iowa City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,249/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $962/month, which eats 22.6% 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 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 financial examiners salary is worth about $71,293 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.