Insurance Underwriters Salary
Insurance Underwriters in Iowa make a median of $75,160 a year, or about $36.14 an hour. The range runs from $52K at the entry level to $128K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $84,582 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,064/month, or 21.5% 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 $75K get you in Iowa?
About insurance underwriters
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What this looks like in Iowa
Insurance underwriters pay in Iowa tracks closely to the national median, $75K locally vs. $81K nationwide, a 8% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,064/month, 22.2% 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 insurance underwriters (10th percentile) start around $52K. Mid-career wages sit at $75K. Top earners bring in $128K or more, a $76K spread from bottom to top.
Insurance Underwriters salary by metro in Iowa
5 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $80K | +7% | 80 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $79K | +5% | 790 |
| Cedar Rapids | $77K | +3% | 100 |
| Dubuque | $74K | -1% | 50 |
| Sioux City | $74K | -1% | 100 |
Compare to other states
Track insurance underwriters 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 underwriter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
Yes — at the median salary of $75K, rent takes 22.2% 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 underwriters in Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new insurance underwriters typically earn — is $52K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,108/month. At HUD’s $1,064/month FMR, rent would take 34% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is insurance underwriter a high-paying job in Iowa?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $75K locally vs. $81K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Iowa compare to the national average for insurance underwriters?
Iowa pays $75K median vs. the U.S. average of $81K — that’s -8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $85K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do insurance underwriters make in Iowa?
The median is $75,160 a year, that works out to about $36 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $51,800, and experienced insurance underwriters can clear $128,080. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $75K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,784/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 22.2% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a insurance underwriters 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 underwriters salary is worth about $84,582 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do insurance underwriters 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.