Receptionists and Information Clerks Salary
Receptionists and Information Clerks in Iowa make a median of $37,330 a year, or about $17.95 an hour. The range runs from $27K at the entry level to $48K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $42,010 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,064/month, about 41.8% 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 $37K get you in Iowa?
About receptionists and information clerks
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What this looks like in Iowa
Receptionists and information clerks pay in Iowa tracks closely to the national median, $37K locally vs. $38K nationwide, a 2% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,064/month, which is 42.1% 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. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Iowa
Entry-level receptionists and information clerks (10th percentile) start around $27K. Mid-career wages sit at $37K. Top earners bring in $48K or more, a $21K spread from bottom to top.
Receptionists and Information Clerks salary by metro in Iowa
8 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dubuque | $39K | +4% | 200 |
| Iowa City | $39K | +4% | 300 |
| Sioux City | $38K | +3% | 330 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $38K | +2% | 1,260 |
| Cedar Rapids | $38K | +1% | 500 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $36K | -3% | 790 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls | $36K | -5% | 240 |
| Ames | $35K | -6% | 170 |
Compare to other states
Track receptionists and information clerks salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Iowa numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a receptionists and information clerk afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $37K, rent takes 42.1% 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 receptionists and information clerks in Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new receptionists and information clerks typically earn — is $27K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,604/month. At HUD’s $1,064/month FMR, rent would take 66% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is receptionists and information clerk a high-paying job in Iowa?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $37K locally vs. $38K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Iowa compare to the national average for receptionists and information clerks?
Iowa pays $37K median vs. the U.S. average of $38K — that’s -2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $42K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do receptionists and information clerks make in Iowa?
The median is $37,330 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $26,740, and experienced receptionists and information clerks can clear $47,610. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $37K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,528/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 42.1% 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 receptionists and information clerks 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 receptionists and information clerks salary is worth about $42,010 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do receptionists and information clerks 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.