Production Workers, All Other Salary
The median pay for a production workers, all other in Iowa is $44,450/year ($21.37/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $61K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $50,023 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,064/month, about 35.1% 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 $44K get you in Iowa?
About production workers, all others
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What this looks like in Iowa
Iowa sits well above the national pay line for production workers, all other, local pay runs about 11% higher than the U.S. median of $40K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,064/month, which is 35.8% 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. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Iowa
Entry-level production workers, all others (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $44K. Top earners bring in $61K or more, a $30K spread from bottom to top.
Production Workers, All Other salary by metro in Iowa
7 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ames | $71K | +59% | 70 |
| Dubuque | $49K | +10% | 130 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls | $48K | +9% | 380 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $41K | -9% | 560 |
| Cedar Rapids | $39K | -12% | 350 |
| Iowa City | $35K | -21% | 90 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $31K | -30% | 880 |
Compare to other states
Track production workers, all other salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Iowa numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Frequently asked questions
Can a production workers, all other afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $44K, rent takes 35.8% 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 $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for production workers, all others in Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new production workers, all others typically earn — is $31K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,841/month. At HUD’s $1,064/month FMR, rent would take 58% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is production workers, all other a high-paying job in Iowa?
Local pay is 11% above the national median — $44K here vs. $40K nationally.
How does Iowa compare to the national average for production workers, all others?
Iowa pays $44K median vs. the U.S. average of $40K — that’s +11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $50K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do production workers, all others make in Iowa?
The median is $44,450 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $30,680, and experienced production workers, all others can clear $60,650. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $44K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,970/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 35.8% 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 production 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 production workers, all other salary is worth about $50,023 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do production 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.