What does a Civil Engineer salary really buy you in Iowa?
Iowa is 11.6% cheaper than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2024 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-03-31
Iowa's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 88.4, meaning prices are 11.6% lower the national average. A Civil Engineer earning $94,500 in Iowa has the equivalent purchasing power of $106,900 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for Iowa's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $63,860 | $72,239 | +$8,379 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $76,170 | $86,165 | +$9,995 |
| Median (P50) | $94,500 | $106,900 | +$12,400 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $112,030 | $126,730 | +$14,700 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $134,230 | $151,843 | +$17,613 |
A Civil Engineer in Iowa earns $94,500 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 13% further — like earning $106,900 in an average-cost state. This makes Iowa one of the best value states for this occupation.
Where does Civil Engineer salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Iowa ranks #11 out of 49 states for Civil Engineer after cost-of-living adjustment.
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A Civil Engineer in Iowa earns a median salary of $94,500 per year. After adjusting for Iowa's cost of living (RPP=88.4), the real purchasing power is $106,900 — a +13.1% difference.
Iowa's cost of living is 11.6% lower than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for Iowa is 88.4 (US average = 100).
Regional Price Parities (RPPs) are price indexes published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) that measure differences in price levels across states. They are expressed as a percentage of the national average (US = 100). Higher RPP means higher cost of living.
The adjusted salary is calculated as: Nominal Salary x (100 / RPP). For a Civil Engineer in Iowa: $94,500 x (100 / 88.4) = $106,900. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Civil Engineer in Iowa enjoys 13.1% more buying power than the nominal salary suggests, because living costs are below the national average. However, other factors like job availability, career growth, and quality of life also matter.