Upholsterers Salary
Upholsterers in Iowa make a median of $42,610 a year, or about $20.49 an hour. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $53K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $47,952 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,064/month, about 36.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Iowa. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $43K get you in Iowa?
About upholsterers
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What this looks like in Iowa
Upholsterers pay in Iowa tracks closely to the national median, $43K locally vs. $46K nationwide, a 8% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,064/month, which is 37.3% 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 upholsterers (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $43K. Top earners bring in $53K or more, a $21K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track upholsterers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Iowa numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a upholsterer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $43K, rent takes 37.3% 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 $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for upholsterers in Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new upholsterers typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,900/month. At HUD’s $1,064/month FMR, rent would take 56% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is upholsterer a high-paying job in Iowa?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $43K locally vs. $46K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Iowa compare to the national average for upholsterers?
Iowa pays $43K median vs. the U.S. average of $46K — that’s -8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $48K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do upholsterers make in Iowa?
The median is $42,610 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,660, and experienced upholsterers can clear $52,980. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $43K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,856/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 37.3% 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 upholsterers 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 upholsterers salary is worth about $47,952 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do upholsterers 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.