Psychiatric Aides Salary
The median pay for a psychiatric aides in Iowa is $39,260/year ($18.88/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $65K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $44,182 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,064/month, about 39.7% of take-home, which is tight.
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 $39K get you in Iowa?
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What this looks like in Iowa
Pay for psychiatric aides in Iowa runs about 13% below the U.S. median of $45K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,064/month, which is 40.2% 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 psychiatric aidess.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Iowa
Entry-level psychiatric aides (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $39K. Top earners bring in $65K or more, a $30K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track psychiatric aides salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Iowa numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a psychiatric aide afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $39K, rent takes 40.2% 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 $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for psychiatric aides in Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new psychiatric aides typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,104/month. At HUD’s $1,064/month FMR, rent would take 51% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is psychiatric aide a high-paying job in Iowa?
Local pay runs 13% below the national median — $39K here vs. $45K 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 psychiatric aides?
Iowa pays $39K median vs. the U.S. average of $45K — that’s -13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $44K — below the national median.
How much do psychiatric aides make in Iowa?
The median is $39,260 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,060, and experienced psychiatric aides can clear $65,190. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $39K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,648/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 40.2% 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 psychiatric aides 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 psychiatric aides salary is worth about $44,182 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do psychiatric aides 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.