Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing Salary
In Iowa, woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawings earn $51,200 at the median, or about $24.62 an hour. The range runs from $40K at the entry level to $57K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $57,619 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,064/month, about 31.6% 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 $51K get you in Iowa?
About woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawings
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What this looks like in Iowa
Iowa sits well above the national pay line for woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing, local pay runs about 18% higher than the U.S. median of $43K. Rent runs $1,064/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31.4% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. 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 woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawings (10th percentile) start around $40K. Mid-career wages sit at $51K. Top earners bring in $57K or more, a $18K spread from bottom to top.
Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing salary by metro in Iowa
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $60K | +17% | 70 |
Compare to other states
Track woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $51K, rent takes 31.4% 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 $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawings in Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawings typically earn — is $40K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,372/month. At HUD’s $1,064/month FMR, rent would take 45% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing a high-paying job in Iowa?
Local pay is 18% above the national median — $51K here vs. $43K nationally.
How does Iowa compare to the national average for woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawings?
Iowa pays $51K median vs. the U.S. average of $43K — that’s +18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $58K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawings make in Iowa?
The median is $51,200 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,540, and experienced woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawings can clear $57,480. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $51K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,390/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 31.4% 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 woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing 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 woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing salary is worth about $57,619 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawings 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.