Materials Engineers Salary
The median pay for a materials engineers in Iowa is $64,270/year ($30.9/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $62K at the entry level to $115K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $72,327 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,064/month, or 25.2% 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 $64K get you in Iowa?
About materials engineers
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What this looks like in Iowa
Pay for materials engineers in Iowa runs about 43% below the U.S. median of $113K. Rent runs $1,064/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 25.4% 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 materials engineers (10th percentile) start around $62K. Mid-career wages sit at $64K. Top earners bring in $115K or more, a $53K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track materials 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 materials engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
Yes — at the median salary of $64K, rent takes 25.4% 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 materials engineers in Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new materials engineers typically earn — is $62K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,743/month. At HUD’s $1,064/month FMR, rent would take 28% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is materials engineer a high-paying job in Iowa?
Local pay runs 43% below the national median — $64K here vs. $113K 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 materials engineers?
Iowa pays $64K median vs. the U.S. average of $113K — that’s -43%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $72K — below the national median.
How much do materials engineers make in Iowa?
The median is $64,270 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $62,390, and experienced materials engineers can clear $115,140. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $64K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,197/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 25.4% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a materials 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 materials engineers salary is worth about $72,327 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do materials 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.