Physicists Salary
The median pay for a physicists in Iowa is $178,110/year ($85.63/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $84K at the entry level to $293K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $200,439 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,064/month, or 9.8% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Iowa. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $178K get you in Iowa?
About physicists
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Iowa
Physicists pay in Iowa tracks closely to the national median, $178K locally vs. $172K nationwide, a 3% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,064/month, 10.4% 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. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Iowa
Entry-level physicists (10th percentile) start around $84K. Mid-career wages sit at $178K. Top earners bring in $293K or more, a $209K spread from bottom to top.
Physicists 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 | $178K | +0% | 50 |
Compare to other states
Track physicists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Iowa numbers change.
Related careers in Science
Frequently asked questions
Can a physicist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
Yes — at the median salary of $178K, rent takes 10.4% 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 physicists in Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physicists typically earn — is $84K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,030/month. At HUD’s $1,064/month FMR, rent would take 21% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is physicist a high-paying job in Iowa?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $178K locally vs. $172K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Iowa compare to the national average for physicists?
Iowa pays $178K median vs. the U.S. average of $172K — that’s +3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $200K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do physicists make in Iowa?
The median is $178,110 a year, that works out to about $86 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $83,830, and experienced physicists can clear $292,990. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $178K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $10,241/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 10.4% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a physicists 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 physicists salary is worth about $200,439 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do physicists 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.