Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers Salary
In Iowa, helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers earn $38,690 at the median, or about $18.6 an hour. The range runs from $27K at the entry level to $54K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $43,540 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,064/month, about 40.3% 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 $39K get you in Iowa?
About helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers
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What this looks like in Iowa
Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers pay in Iowa tracks closely to the national median, $39K locally vs. $40K nationwide, a 2% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,064/month, which is 40.7% 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 helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers (10th percentile) start around $27K. Mid-career wages sit at $39K. Top earners bring in $54K or more, a $27K spread from bottom to top.
Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers salary by metro in Iowa
6 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $42K | +10% | 230 |
| Sioux City | $40K | +4% | 40 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $39K | +1% | 60 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls | $38K | -1% | 30 |
| Cedar Rapids | $38K | -1% | 100 |
| Iowa City | $35K | -10% | 50 |
Compare to other states
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Frequently asked questions
Can a helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $39K, rent takes 40.7% 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 $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers in Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers typically earn — is $27K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,622/month. At HUD’s $1,064/month FMR, rent would take 66% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair worker a high-paying job in Iowa?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $39K locally vs. $40K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Iowa compare to the national average for helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers?
Iowa pays $39K median vs. the U.S. average of $40K — that’s -2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $44K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers make in Iowa?
The median is $38,690 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $27,040, and experienced helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers can clear $54,330. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $39K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,612/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 40.7% 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 helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers 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 helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers salary is worth about $43,540 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers 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.