What does a Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria 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 Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria earning $34,560 in Iowa has the equivalent purchasing power of $39,095 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) | $25,140 | $28,438 | +$3,298 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $29,680 | $33,574 | +$3,894 |
| Median (P50) | $34,560 | $39,095 | +$4,535 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $36,830 | $41,662 | +$4,832 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $40,410 | $45,712 | +$5,302 |
A Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria in Iowa earns $34,560 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 13% further — like earning $39,095 in an average-cost state. This makes Iowa one of the best value states for this occupation.
Where does Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Iowa ranks #26 out of 50 states for Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria after cost-of-living adjustment.
Some links are affiliate links. See our disclosure.
A Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria in Iowa earns a median salary of $34,560 per year. After adjusting for Iowa's cost of living (RPP=88.4), the real purchasing power is $39,095 — 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 Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria in Iowa: $34,560 x (100 / 88.4) = $39,095. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria 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.