First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers Salary
First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers in Iowa make a median of $78,340 a year, or about $37.67 an hour. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $111K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $88,161 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,064/month, or 20.7% 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 $78K get you in Iowa?
About first-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
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What this looks like in Iowa
First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers pay in Iowa tracks closely to the national median, $78K locally vs. $80K nationwide, a 2% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,064/month, 21.5% 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. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Iowa
Entry-level first-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $78K. Top earners bring in $111K or more, a $62K spread from bottom to top.
First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers salary by metro in Iowa
8 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sioux City | $84K | +7% | 340 |
| Cedar Rapids | $80K | +2% | 630 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $79K | +1% | 1,400 |
| Ames | $79K | +1% | 220 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $78K | -1% | 770 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls | $77K | -1% | 280 |
| Iowa City | $75K | -4% | 290 |
| Dubuque | $74K | -6% | 240 |
Compare to other states
Track first-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Iowa numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a first-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
Yes — at the median salary of $78K, rent takes 21.5% 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 first-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers in Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new first-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers typically earn — is $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,980/month. At HUD’s $1,064/month FMR, rent would take 36% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is first-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairer a high-paying job in Iowa?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $78K locally vs. $80K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Iowa compare to the national average for first-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers?
Iowa pays $78K median vs. the U.S. average of $80K — that’s -2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $88K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do first-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers make in Iowa?
The median is $78,340 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,670, and experienced first-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers can clear $111,220. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $78K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,955/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 21.5% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a first-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers 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 first-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers salary is worth about $88,161 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do first-line supervisors of mechanics, 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.