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What does a Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators salary really buy you in Iowa?
Iowa is 11.6% cheaper than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2025 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-05-19
Iowa's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 88.4, meaning prices are 11.6% lower the national average. A Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators earning $60,990 in Iowa has the equivalent purchasing power of $68,993 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) | $46,880 | $53,031 | +$6,151 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $50,300 | $56,900 | +$6,600 |
| Median (P50) | $60,990 | $68,993 | +$8,003 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $67,390 | $76,233 | +$8,843 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $76,040 | $86,018 | +$9,978 |
A Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators in Iowa earns $60,990 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 13% further — like earning $68,993 in an average-cost state. This makes Iowa one of the best value states for this occupation.
Iowa's Regional Price Parity (RPP) of 88.4 means a basket of goods and services costs about 11.6% less than the national average. For a Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators, every dollar earned effectively buys more here than in a 100-RPP state.
Adjusting $60,990 for Iowa's cost of living yields $68,993 — a 13.1% gain in real purchasing power. This magnitude usually reflects either a materially cheaper or materially pricier metro mix than the national average.
Ranked on COL-adjusted median pay for Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators, Iowa places #8 of 50 states — top quartile. Either nominal wages run high, cost of living runs low, or both.
Where does Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Iowa ranks #8 out of 50 states for Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators after cost-of-living adjustment.
How much do you actually take home? See Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators take-home pay in Iowa after taxes →
A Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators in Iowa earns a median salary of $60,990 per year. After adjusting for Iowa's cost of living (RPP=88.4), the real purchasing power is $68,993 — 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 Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators in Iowa: $60,990 x (100 / 88.4) = $68,993. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators 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.
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