Real Estate Brokers Salary
Real Estate Brokers in Iowa make a median of $50,140 a year, or about $24.11 an hour. The range runs from $20K at the entry level to $152K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $56,426 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,064/month, about 32.3% 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 $50K get you in Iowa?
About real estate brokers
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What this looks like in Iowa
Pay for real estate brokers in Iowa runs about 32% below the U.S. median of $73K. Rent runs $1,064/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. 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 real estate brokers (10th percentile) start around $20K. Mid-career wages sit at $50K. Top earners bring in $152K or more, a $132K spread from bottom to top.
Real Estate Brokers salary by metro in Iowa
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ames | $41K | -17% | N/A |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $41K | -18% | 60 |
Compare to other states
Track real estate brokers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Iowa numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a real estate broker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $50K, rent takes 32% 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 $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for real estate brokers in Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new real estate brokers typically earn — is $20K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,193/month. At HUD’s $1,064/month FMR, rent would take 89% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is real estate broker a high-paying job in Iowa?
Local pay runs 32% below the national median — $50K here vs. $73K 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 real estate brokers?
Iowa pays $50K median vs. the U.S. average of $73K — that’s -32%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $56K — below the national median.
How much do real estate brokers make in Iowa?
The median is $50,140 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $19,880, and experienced real estate brokers can clear $152,170. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $50K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,324/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 32% 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 real estate brokers 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 real estate brokers salary is worth about $56,426 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do real estate brokers 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.