Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products Salary
The median pay for a graders and sorters, agricultural products in Iowa is $42,450/year ($20.41/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $56K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $47,772 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,064/month, about 36.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Iowa. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $42K get you in Iowa?
About graders and sorters, agricultural products
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What this looks like in Iowa
Iowa sits well above the national pay line for graders and sorters, agricultural products, local pay runs about 19% higher than the U.S. median of $36K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,064/month, which is 37.4% 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. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Iowa
Entry-level graders and sorters, agricultural products (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $42K. Top earners bring in $56K or more, a $17K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track graders and sorters, agricultural products salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Iowa numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a graders and sorters, agricultural product afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $42K, rent takes 37.4% 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 $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for graders and sorters, agricultural products in Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new graders and sorters, agricultural products typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,354/month. At HUD’s $1,064/month FMR, rent would take 45% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is graders and sorters, agricultural product a high-paying job in Iowa?
Local pay is 19% above the national median — $42K here vs. $36K nationally.
How does Iowa compare to the national average for graders and sorters, agricultural products?
Iowa pays $42K median vs. the U.S. average of $36K — that’s +19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $48K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do graders and sorters, agricultural products make in Iowa?
The median is $42,450 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,240, and experienced graders and sorters, agricultural products can clear $55,740. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $42K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,846/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 37.4% 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 graders and sorters, agricultural products 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 graders and sorters, agricultural products salary is worth about $47,772 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do graders and sorters, agricultural products 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.