Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other Salary
Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Others in Iowa make a median of $33,480 a year, or about $16.1 an hour. The range runs from $24K at the entry level to $42K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $37,677 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,064/month, about 46.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Iowa. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $33K get you in Iowa?
About food preparation and serving related workers, all others
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What this looks like in Iowa
Food preparation and serving related workers, all other pay in Iowa tracks closely to the national median, $33K locally vs. $36K nationwide, a 7% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,064/month, which is 46.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. 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 food preparation and serving related workers, all others (10th percentile) start around $24K. Mid-career wages sit at $33K. Top earners bring in $42K or more, a $18K spread from bottom to top.
Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other salary by metro in Iowa
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $34K | +2% | 40 |
| Dubuque | $32K | -3% | 30 |
Compare to other states
Track food preparation and serving related workers, all other salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Iowa numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a food preparation and serving related workers, all other afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $33K, rent takes 46.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,064/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 food preparation and serving related workers, all others in Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new food preparation and serving related workers, all others typically earn — is $24K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,462/month. At HUD’s $1,064/month FMR, rent would take 73% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is food preparation and serving related workers, all other a high-paying job in Iowa?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $33K locally vs. $36K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Iowa compare to the national average for food preparation and serving related workers, all others?
Iowa pays $33K median vs. the U.S. average of $36K — that’s -7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $38K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do food preparation and serving related workers, all others make in Iowa?
The median is $33,480 a year, that works out to about $16 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $24,360, and experienced food preparation and serving related workers, all others can clear $42,330. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $33K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,288/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 46.5% 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 food preparation and serving related workers, all other 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 food preparation and serving related workers, all other salary is worth about $37,677 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do food preparation and serving related workers, all others 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.