Surveyors Salary
The median pay for a surveyors in Iowa is $77,090/year ($37.06/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $48K at the entry level to $130K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $86,754 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,064/month, or 21% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Iowa. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $77K get you in Iowa?
About surveyors
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What this looks like in Iowa
Surveyors pay in Iowa tracks closely to the national median, $77K locally vs. $75K nationwide, a 2% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,064/month, 21.8% 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. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Iowa
Entry-level surveyors (10th percentile) start around $48K. Mid-career wages sit at $77K. Top earners bring in $130K or more, a $82K spread from bottom to top.
Surveyors 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 | $99K | +28% | 50 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $79K | +2% | 150 |
| Cedar Rapids | $76K | -1% | 40 |
Compare to other states
Track surveyors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Iowa numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a surveyor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
Yes — at the median salary of $77K, rent takes 21.8% 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 surveyors in Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new surveyors typically earn — is $48K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,870/month. At HUD’s $1,064/month FMR, rent would take 37% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is surveyor a high-paying job in Iowa?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $77K locally vs. $75K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Iowa compare to the national average for surveyors?
Iowa pays $77K median vs. the U.S. average of $75K — that’s +2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $87K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do surveyors make in Iowa?
The median is $77,090 a year, that works out to about $37 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $47,830, and experienced surveyors can clear $129,670. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $77K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,887/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 21.8% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a surveyors 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 surveyors salary is worth about $86,754 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do surveyors 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.