What does a Welder 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 Welder earning $49,450 in Iowa has the equivalent purchasing power of $55,938 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) | $41,190 | $46,595 | +$5,405 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $46,140 | $52,194 | +$6,054 |
| Median (P50) | $49,450 | $55,938 | +$6,488 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $58,260 | $65,904 | +$7,644 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $61,570 | $69,649 | +$8,079 |
A Welder in Iowa earns $49,450 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 13% further — like earning $55,938 in an average-cost state. This makes Iowa one of the best value states for this occupation.
Where does Welder salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Iowa ranks #21 out of 50 states for Welder after cost-of-living adjustment.
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A Welder in Iowa earns a median salary of $49,450 per year. After adjusting for Iowa's cost of living (RPP=88.4), the real purchasing power is $55,938 — 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 Welder in Iowa: $49,450 x (100 / 88.4) = $55,938. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Welder 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.