Pay data
Average Salary in Iowa (2026)
The average salary in Iowa is $59,830 a year and the median is $48,540, 5% below the US median (BLS, May 2025). At national-average prices that median is worth $55,310: 32nd of the 50 states and DC by median wage, 12th once local prices are taken into account.
- Average (mean) salary
- $59,830US $69,770
- Median salary
- $48,540US $50,980
- Median hourly wage
- $23.34BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Price level
- 87.8US = 100 · BEA 2024
Calculator
Where does your salary rank in Iowa?
About the 77th percentile
You earn more than about 77% of workers in Iowa.
At Iowa prices, $75,000 buys what $85,460 buys at the national average, about the 77th percentile nationally.
Interpolated between the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th and 90th percentile wages BLS publishes for all occupations (OEWS, May 2025). Wage and salary workers only; excludes the self-employed. Price comparison uses BEA Regional Price Parities.
The spread
What Iowa workers earn
| Percentile | Iowa | United States |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $28,930 | $31,200 |
| 25th | $36,570 | $37,590 |
| 50th (median) | $48,540 | $50,980 |
| 75th | $70,290 | $80,520 |
| 90th | $99,630 | $128,560 |
| Mean | $59,830 | $69,770 |
Prices
Cost of living in Iowa
BEA Regional Price Parities compare price levels across states (US = 100). Iowa sits at 87.8 overall, with housing at 65.3. To live the way $100,000 pays for at national-average prices, you would need about $87,760 here. Compare any two states or metros.
US = 100
- All items12% below US87.8
- Housing (rents)35% below US65.3
- Goods6% below US93.7
- Utilities17% below US83.3
- Other services7% below US92.9
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| All items | 87.8 |
| Housing (rents) | 65.3 |
| Goods | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 83.3 |
| Other services | 92.9 |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
By field
Average salary in Iowa by occupation group
| Occupation group | Median | vs US | Workers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Management | $102,900 | -19% | 96,690 |
| Computer and Mathematical | $89,360 | -18% | 38,250 |
| Architecture and Engineering | $83,690 | -16% | 20,980 |
| Healthcare Practitioners and Technical | $77,590 | -10% | 92,100 |
| Business and Financial Operations | $76,810 | -7% | 90,070 |
| Life, Physical, and Social Science | $72,690 | -12% | 14,290 |
| Legal | $71,170 | -31% | 8,280 |
| Installation, Maintenance, and Repair | $59,950 | +1% | 70,010 |
| Construction and Extraction | $59,460 | 0% | 70,570 |
| Protective Service | $53,410 | +7% | 24,190 |
| Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media | $50,820 | -19% | 18,580 |
| Community and Social Service | $50,510 | -13% | 24,270 |
| Educational Instruction and Library | $48,610 | -20% | 108,570 |
| Production | $48,600 | +3% | 142,180 |
| Office and Administrative Support | $46,520 | -2% | 169,390 |
| Transportation and Material Moving | $46,050 | +4% | 146,660 |
| Farming, Fishing, and Forestry | $44,480 | +21% | 5,050 |
| Healthcare Support | $38,420 | 0% | 65,530 |
| Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance | $36,220 | -4% | 45,640 |
| Sales | $35,610 | -8% | 141,350 |
| Personal Care and Service | $30,440 | -16% | 31,560 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related | $29,620 | -15% | 135,030 |
The jobs
The jobs behind Iowa's pay
The most common jobs set the median; the best-paid set the top; the most over-represented jobs show what the state's economy specialises in (location quotient: the state's share of jobs in an occupation over the national share).
Most common jobs
By employment
- 1Cashier41,450
- 2Retail Salesperson41,000
- 3Fast Food and Counter Worker40,290
- 4Truck Driver35,040
- 5Registered Nurse34,420
- 6Laborer and Freight, Stock, and Material Mover, Hand30,890
- 7General and Operations Manager30,760
- 8Customer Service Representative30,100
- 9Stocker and Order Filler26,770
- 10Janitor and Cleaner, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners23,960
Highest-paying jobs
Median, 500+ workers
- 1Allergist and Immunologist$295,190
- 2Family Medicine Physician$265,200
- 3Chief Executive$211,190
- 4Dentist$181,520
- 5Architectural and Engineering Manager$147,320
- 6IT Manager$143,780
- 7Pharmacist$138,860
- 8Physician Assistant$134,770
- 9Sales Manager$134,010
- 10Financial Manager$133,320
Most over-represented
Location quotient, 1,000+ workers
- 1Slaughterer and Meat Packer6.0x
- 2Farm Equipment Mechanic and Service Technician5.8x
- 3Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender5.4x
- 4Agricultural Equipment Operator5.4x
- 5Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender4.1x
- 6Farmworker, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animal3.8x
- 7New Accounts Clerk3.6x
- 8Multiple Machine Tool Setter, Operator, and Tender, Metal and Plastic3.6x
- 9Butcher and Meat Cutter3.3x
- 10Locomotive Engineer3.0x
Cities
Average salary by city in Iowa
| Metro area | Median | Mean | Price level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines, IA | $51,820 | $65,970 | 91.7 |
| Ames, IA | $50,220 | $61,910 | 88.8 |
| Iowa City, IA | $50,060 | $65,420 | 91.5 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | $49,360 | $60,700 | 89.0 |
| Dubuque, IA | $48,750 | $60,370 | 87.3 |
| Davenport, IA-IL | $48,550 | $61,900 | 89.1 |
| Waterloo, IA | $47,430 | $56,540 | 87.1 |
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $47,030 | $56,240 | 86.5 |
Compare
States with similar pay
Method
About these numbers
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, all occupations in Iowa. Wage and salary workers only; excludes the self-employed.
- Wages are straight-time pay before tax, including commissions and tips, excluding overtime premiums, bonuses and benefits.
- Price levels are BEA Regional Price Parities for 2024. Price-adjusted pay is a NueCareer calculation (wage ÷ RPP/100).
Questions
Average salary in Iowa: FAQ
What is the average salary in Iowa?
The average (mean) annual wage in Iowa is $59,830 and the median is $48,540, 5% below the US median of $50,980 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That covers 1,559,240 wage and salary workers in all occupations.
What is the average hourly wage in Iowa?
$28.76 an hour on average and $23.34 at the median (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What is a good salary in Iowa?
Above $48,540 out-earns half of Iowa workers; the top 25% start at $70,290 and the top 10% at $99,630 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Prices in Iowa run 12% below the national average (BEA, 2024), so $100,000 here buys about what $113,940 buys nationally.
Is Iowa expensive to live in?
BEA puts overall prices in Iowa at 87.8 against a US average of 100 (2024). Housing is 65.3, goods 93.7, utilities 83.3 and other services 92.9. To match a $100,000 national-average lifestyle you would need about $87,760 here.
What are the highest-paying jobs in Iowa?
Allergist and Immunologist ($295,190), Family Medicine Physician ($265,200), Chief Executive ($211,190), Dentist ($181,520), Architectural and Engineering Manager ($147,320) have the highest median wages among occupations with at least 500 workers in Iowa (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What are the most common jobs in Iowa?
Cashier (41,450), Retail Salesperson (41,000), Fast Food and Counter Worker (40,290), Truck Driver (35,040), Registered Nurse (34,420) employ the most people (BLS OEWS, May 2025).