Nurse Anesthetists Salary
In Iowa, nurse anesthetists earn $273,070 at the median, or about $131.29 an hour. The range runs from $124K at the entry level to $316K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $307,304 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,064/month, or 6.9% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Iowa. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $273K actually covers in Iowa, month by month
About nurse anesthetists
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Iowa
Iowa sits well above the national pay line for nurse anesthetists, local pay runs about 15% higher than the U.S. median of $237K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,064/month, 7% 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 nurse anesthetists at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Iowa
Entry-level nurse anesthetists (10th percentile) start around $124K. Mid-career wages sit at $273K. Top earners bring in $316K or more, a $191K spread from bottom to top.
Nurse Anesthetists salary by metro in Iowa
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $238K | -13% | 80 |
Compare to other states
Track nurse anesthetists salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Iowa numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a nurse anesthetist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
Yes — at the median salary of $273K, rent takes 7% 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 nurse anesthetists in Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new nurse anesthetists typically earn — is $124K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $7,430/month. At HUD’s $1,064/month FMR, rent would take 14% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is nurse anesthetist a high-paying job in Iowa?
Local pay is 15% above the national median — $273K here vs. $237K nationally.
How does Iowa compare to the national average for nurse anesthetists?
Iowa pays $273K median vs. the U.S. average of $237K — that’s +15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $307K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do nurse anesthetists make in Iowa?
The median is $273,070 a year, that works out to about $131 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $124,470, and experienced nurse anesthetists can clear $315,610. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $273K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $15,210/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 7% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a nurse anesthetists 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 nurse anesthetists salary is worth about $307,304 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do nurse anesthetists 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.