Tutors Salary
In Iowa City, IA, tutors earn $43,920 at the median, or about $21.12 an hour. The range runs from $22K at the entry level to $85K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.51), which stretches that salary to about $47,995 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $962/month, about 32.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $44K get you in Iowa City?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Iowa City’s Regional Price Parity (91.51). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About tutors
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What this looks like in Iowa City
Tutors pay in Iowa City tracks closely to the national median, $44K locally vs. $43K nationwide, a 1% difference. Rent runs $962/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.51 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for tutors in metros near Iowa City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $31K | $35K |
| Cedar Rapids | $38K | $43K |
| Sioux City | $33K | $38K |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls | $33K | $38K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Iowa City, IA
Entry-level tutors (10th percentile) start around $22K. Mid-career wages sit at $44K. Top earners bring in $85K or more, a $63K spread from bottom to top.
Tutors pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Tutors salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wyoming | $82K | +90% | 200 |
| Rhode Island | $78K | +80% | 300 |
| Massachusetts | $61K | +40% | 4,610 |
| Vermont | $54K | +24% | 130 |
| New Hampshire | $54K | +24% | 700 |
| Maryland | $53K | +22% | 4,300 |
| Connecticut | $50K | +16% | 3,230 |
| Tennessee | $50K | +16% | 3,310 |
| Maine | $50K | +15% | 340 |
| Mississippi | $50K | +14% | 1,220 |
| Oregon | $48K | +11% | 1,130 |
| Colorado | $47K | +9% | 2,500 |
| Georgia | $47K | +9% | 5,690 |
| New York | $47K | +9% | 12,730 |
| North Dakota | $46K | +7% | 110 |
| Alaska | $46K | +6% | 550 |
| Washington | $45K | +5% | 2,460 |
| California | $45K | +4% | 45,370 |
| Minnesota | $45K | +3% | 1,370 |
| West Virginia | $44K | +2% | 280 |
| Ohio | $44K | +1% | 5,760 |
| North Carolina | $42K | -2% | 5,780 |
| New Jersey | $42K | -2% | 5,270 |
| Montana | $41K | -5% | 450 |
| Wisconsin | $41K | -5% | 1,530 |
| Virginia | $41K | -6% | 4,090 |
| Arizona | $39K | -10% | 2,730 |
| South Dakota | $39K | -11% | 250 |
| Nebraska | $38K | -11% | 950 |
| Indiana | $38K | -12% | 1,770 |
| Illinois | $37K | -14% | 5,910 |
| Michigan | $37K | -14% | 6,010 |
| Florida | $37K | -14% | 12,220 |
| Iowa | $37K | -15% | 610 |
| New Mexico | $37K | -15% | 460 |
| Hawaii | $37K | -16% | 1,130 |
| Pennsylvania | $36K | -16% | 4,540 |
| Alabama | $36K | -18% | 890 |
| Utah | $35K | -19% | 3,150 |
| Idaho | $35K | -19% | 760 |
| Oklahoma | $35K | -20% | 1,220 |
| Kentucky | $34K | -21% | 780 |
| Kansas | $34K | -21% | 1,290 |
| Louisiana | $34K | -22% | 540 |
| Texas | $34K | -22% | 10,690 |
| Delaware | $33K | -23% | 590 |
| South Carolina | $33K | -23% | 1,510 |
| Missouri | $32K | -26% | 1,670 |
| Arkansas | $31K | -29% | 720 |
| Nevada | $30K | -30% | 1,070 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track tutors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Iowa City numbers change.
Related careers in Education
Frequently asked questions
Can a tutor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa City?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $44K, rent takes 32.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $962/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for tutors in Iowa City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new tutors typically earn — is $22K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,328/month. At HUD’s $962/month FMR, rent would take 72% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is tutor a high-paying job in Iowa City?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $44K locally vs. $43K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Iowa City compare to the national average for tutors?
Iowa City pays $44K median vs. the U.S. average of $43K — that’s +1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.51), the purchasing-power equivalent is $48K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do tutors make in Iowa City, IA?
The median is $43,920 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $22,140, and experienced tutors can clear $85,280. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $44K enough to live in Iowa City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,938/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $962/month, which eats 32.7% 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 tutors salary go in Iowa City?
Iowa City has a Regional Price Parity of 91.51 (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 tutors salary is worth about $47,995 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do tutors 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.