Locomotive Engineers Salary
Locomotive Engineers in Iowa make a median of $89,970 a year, or about $43.25 an hour. The range runs from $75K at the entry level to $96K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $101,249 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,064/month, or 18.7% of estimated take-home pay.
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 $90K get you in Iowa?
About locomotive engineers
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What this looks like in Iowa
Iowa sits well above the national pay line for locomotive engineers, local pay runs about 11% higher than the U.S. median of $81K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,064/month, 19.1% 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. Combined with manageable housing costs, Iowa offers a genuinely strong financial position for locomotive engineerss at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Iowa
Entry-level locomotive engineers (10th percentile) start around $75K. Mid-career wages sit at $90K. Top earners bring in $96K or more, a $21K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track locomotive engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Iowa numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a locomotive engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
Yes — at the median salary of $90K, rent takes 19.1% 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 locomotive engineers in Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new locomotive engineers typically earn — is $75K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,486/month. At HUD’s $1,064/month FMR, rent would take 24% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is locomotive engineer a high-paying job in Iowa?
Local pay is 11% above the national median — $90K here vs. $81K nationally.
How does Iowa compare to the national average for locomotive engineers?
Iowa pays $90K median vs. the U.S. average of $81K — that’s +11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $101K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do locomotive engineers make in Iowa?
The median is $89,970 a year, that works out to about $43 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $74,770, and experienced locomotive engineers can clear $95,710. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $90K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,581/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 19.1% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a locomotive engineers 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 locomotive engineers salary is worth about $101,249 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do locomotive engineers 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.