Insurance Sales Agents Salary
Insurance Sales Agents in Iowa make a median of $60,140 a year, or about $28.92 an hour. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $127K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $67,679 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,064/month, or 26.9% 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 $60K get you in Iowa?
About insurance sales agents
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What this looks like in Iowa
Insurance sales agents pay in Iowa tracks closely to the national median, $60K locally vs. $62K nationwide, a 3% difference. Rent runs $1,064/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. 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. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Iowa
Entry-level insurance sales agents (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $60K. Top earners bring in $127K or more, a $89K spread from bottom to top.
Insurance Sales Agents salary by metro in Iowa
8 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dubuque | $72K | +19% | 280 |
| Iowa City | $71K | +19% | 190 |
| Ames | $63K | +5% | 160 |
| Cedar Rapids | $62K | +3% | 610 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls | $62K | +3% | 230 |
| Sioux City | $62K | +2% | 200 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $61K | +2% | 2,940 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $58K | -4% | 450 |
Compare to other states
Track insurance sales agents salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Iowa numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a insurance sales agent afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
Yes — at the median salary of $60K, rent takes 27% 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 insurance sales agents in Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new insurance sales agents typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,255/month. At HUD’s $1,064/month FMR, rent would take 47% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is insurance sales agent a high-paying job in Iowa?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $60K locally vs. $62K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Iowa compare to the national average for insurance sales agents?
Iowa pays $60K median vs. the U.S. average of $62K — that’s -3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $68K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do insurance sales agents make in Iowa?
The median is $60,140 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,590, and experienced insurance sales agents can clear $126,840. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $60K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,947/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 27% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a insurance sales agents 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 insurance sales agents salary is worth about $67,679 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do insurance sales agents 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.