Word Processors and Typists Salary
In Iowa, word processors and typists earn $43,210 at the median, or about $20.78 an hour. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $55K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $48,627 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,064/month, about 36.1% 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 $43K get you in Iowa?
About word processors and typists
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What this looks like in Iowa
Pay for word processors and typists in Iowa runs about 12% below the U.S. median of $49K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,064/month, which is 36.8% 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. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for word processors and typistss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Iowa
Entry-level word processors and typists (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $43K. Top earners bring in $55K or more, a $23K spread from bottom to top.
Word Processors and Typists salary by metro in Iowa
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $45K | +4% | 100 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls | $41K | -6% | 40 |
Compare to other states
Track word processors and typists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Iowa numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a word processors and typist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $43K, rent takes 36.8% 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 word processors and typists in Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new word processors and typists typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,928/month. At HUD’s $1,064/month FMR, rent would take 55% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is word processors and typist a high-paying job in Iowa?
Local pay runs 12% below the national median — $43K here vs. $49K 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 word processors and typists?
Iowa pays $43K median vs. the U.S. average of $49K — that’s -12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $49K — below the national median.
How much do word processors and typists make in Iowa?
The median is $43,210 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $32,130, and experienced word processors and typists can clear $54,900. 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 $2,893/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 36.8% 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 word processors and typists 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 word processors and typists salary is worth about $48,627 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do word processors and typists 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.