Materials Scientists Salary
The median pay for a materials scientists in Iowa is $88,320/year ($42.46/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $52K at the entry level to $149K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $99,392 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,064/month, or 19.1% 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 $88K get you in Iowa?
About materials scientists
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What this looks like in Iowa
Pay for materials scientists in Iowa runs about 25% below the U.S. median of $118K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,064/month, 19.4% 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. Lower pay, lower costs, Iowa can be a reasonable trade-off for materials scientistss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Iowa
Entry-level materials scientists (10th percentile) start around $52K. Mid-career wages sit at $88K. Top earners bring in $149K or more, a $97K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track materials scientists 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 scientist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
Yes — at the median salary of $88K, rent takes 19.4% 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 scientists in Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new materials scientists typically earn — is $52K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,147/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 materials scientist a high-paying job in Iowa?
Local pay runs 25% below the national median — $88K here vs. $118K 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 scientists?
Iowa pays $88K median vs. the U.S. average of $118K — that’s -25%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $99K — below the national median.
How much do materials scientists make in Iowa?
The median is $88,320 a year, that works out to about $42 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $52,450, and experienced materials scientists can clear $149,020. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $88K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,493/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 19.4% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a materials scientists 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 scientists salary is worth about $99,392 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do materials scientists 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.