School Psychologists Salary
The median pay for a school psychologists in Iowa is $74,410/year ($35.77/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $45K at the entry level to $100K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $83,738 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,064/month, or 21.8% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Iowa. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $74K actually covers in Iowa, month by month
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What this looks like in Iowa
Pay for school psychologists in Iowa runs about 22% below the U.S. median of $96K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,064/month, 22.4% 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. Lower pay, lower costs, Iowa can be a reasonable trade-off for school psychologists who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Iowa
Entry-level school psychologists (10th percentile) start around $45K. Mid-career wages sit at $74K. Top earners bring in $100K or more, a $55K spread from bottom to top.
School Psychologists salary by metro in Iowa
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $82K | +10% | 60 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $76K | +3% | 100 |
| Cedar Rapids | $49K | -34% | 70 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Iowa numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a school psychologist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
Yes — at the median salary of $74K, rent takes 22.4% 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 school psychologists in Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new school psychologists typically earn — is $45K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,013/month. At HUD’s $1,064/month FMR, rent would take 35% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is school psychologist a high-paying job in Iowa?
Local pay runs 22% below the national median — $74K here vs. $96K 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 school psychologists?
Iowa pays $74K median vs. the U.S. average of $96K — that’s -22%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $84K — below the national median.
How much do school psychologists make in Iowa?
The median is $74,410 a year, that works out to about $36 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $45,130, and experienced school psychologists can clear $99,720. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $74K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,743/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 22.4% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a school psychologists 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 school psychologists salary is worth about $83,738 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do school psychologists 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.