Personal Care and Service Workers, All Other Salary
The median pay for a personal care and service workers, all other in Iowa is $31,200/year ($15/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $22K at the entry level to $42K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $35,111 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,064/month, about 50% 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 $31K get you in Iowa?
About personal care and service workers, all others
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Iowa
Pay for personal care and service workers, all other in Iowa runs about 25% below the U.S. median of $42K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,064/month, which is 49.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. 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. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for personal care and service workers, all others.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Iowa
Entry-level personal care and service workers, all others (10th percentile) start around $22K. Mid-career wages sit at $31K. Top earners bring in $42K or more, a $20K spread from bottom to top.
Personal Care and Service Workers, All Other salary by metro in Iowa
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $31K | -2% | 90 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $25K | -20% | 30 |
| Cedar Rapids | $25K | -21% | 30 |
Compare to other states
Track personal care and service workers, all other salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Iowa numbers change.
Related careers in Personal Care
Frequently asked questions
Can a personal care and service workers, all other afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $31K, rent takes 49.6% 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 $600/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for personal care and service workers, all others in Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new personal care and service workers, all others typically earn — is $22K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,304/month. At HUD’s $1,064/month FMR, rent would take 82% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is personal care and service workers, all other a high-paying job in Iowa?
Local pay runs 25% below the national median — $31K here vs. $42K 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 personal care and service workers, all others?
Iowa pays $31K median vs. the U.S. average of $42K — that’s -25%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $35K — below the national median.
How much do personal care and service workers, all others make in Iowa?
The median is $31,200 a year, that works out to about $15 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $21,730, and experienced personal care and service workers, all others can clear $42,060. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $31K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,145/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 49.6% 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 personal care and service workers, 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 personal care and service workers, all other salary is worth about $35,111 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do personal care and service workers, 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.