What does a Electrical Engineers salary really buy you in Iowa?
Iowa is 11.6% cheaper than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2024 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-04-02
Iowa's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 88.4, meaning prices are 11.6% lower the national average. A Electrical Engineers earning $106,770 in Iowa has the equivalent purchasing power of $120,780 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) | $67,550 | $76,414 | +$8,864 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $83,650 | $94,626 | +$10,976 |
| Median (P50) | $106,770 | $120,780 | +$14,010 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $127,750 | $144,513 | +$16,763 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $167,980 | $190,022 | +$22,042 |
A Electrical Engineers in Iowa earns $106,770 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 13% further — like earning $120,780 in an average-cost state. This makes Iowa one of the best value states for this occupation.
Where does Electrical Engineers salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Iowa ranks #5 out of 50 states for Electrical Engineers after cost-of-living adjustment.
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How much do you actually take home? See Electrical Engineers take-home pay in Iowa after taxes →
A Electrical Engineers in Iowa earns a median salary of $106,770 per year. After adjusting for Iowa's cost of living (RPP=88.4), the real purchasing power is $120,780 — 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 Electrical Engineers in Iowa: $106,770 x (100 / 88.4) = $120,780. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Electrical Engineers 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.