Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other Salary
Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Others in Iowa make a median of $50,480 a year, or about $24.27 an hour. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $78K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $56,808 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,064/month, about 32.1% 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 $50K get you in Iowa?
About life, physical, and social science technicians, all others
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What this looks like in Iowa
Pay for life, physical, and social science technicians, all other in Iowa runs about 19% below the U.S. median of $62K. Rent runs $1,064/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31.8% 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. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Iowa
Entry-level life, physical, and social science technicians, all others (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $50K. Top earners bring in $78K or more, a $40K spread from bottom to top.
Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other salary by metro in Iowa
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ames | $65K | +29% | 50 |
| Iowa City | $63K | +25% | 110 |
| Cedar Rapids | $50K | -1% | 30 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $44K | -13% | 130 |
Compare to other states
Track life, physical, and social science technicians, 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 life, physical, and social science technicians, all other afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $50K, rent takes 31.8% 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 $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for life, physical, and social science technicians, all others in Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new life, physical, and social science technicians, all others typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,301/month. At HUD’s $1,064/month FMR, rent would take 46% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is life, physical, and social science technicians, all other a high-paying job in Iowa?
Local pay runs 19% below the national median — $50K here vs. $62K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Iowa compare to the national average for life, physical, and social science technicians, all others?
Iowa pays $50K median vs. the U.S. average of $62K — that’s -19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $57K — below the national median.
How much do life, physical, and social science technicians, all others make in Iowa?
The median is $50,480 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,350, and experienced life, physical, and social science technicians, all others can clear $77,930. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $50K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,346/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 31.8% 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 life, physical, and social science technicians, 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 life, physical, and social science technicians, all other salary is worth about $56,808 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do life, physical, and social science technicians, 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.