Average Salaries in Dubuque, IA
Explore salaries across 251 occupations in Dubuque, IA. The average median wage across all tracked occupations is $61.9K, -5.8% vs the national average. See the highest-paying roles, where the jobs are, and how local wages compare to the rest of the country.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates. Coverage: 251 occupations and 51,500 total jobs in Dubuque, IA.
How the metro compares
Dubuque, IA pays modestly below the national average. That can be partly offset by a lower cost of living compared with higher-paying markets.
Dubuque, IA is a smaller metro labor market. Some occupations may have limited local demand.
The highest-paid occupation tracked here is Physicians, All Other. Drill into any occupation below to see its local pay distribution, employment, and how it compares to the national market.
Top-paying and largest occupations in Dubuque, IA
Two different lenses on the local labor market: which occupations pay the most, and which employ the most workers. The highest-paid list tends to favor specialized professional and technical roles. The largest list reflects where the everyday jobs actually are.
Highest-paid occupations in Dubuque, IA
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Physicians, All Other | $309.9K | 40 |
| Chief Executives | $212.9K | 100 |
| Dentists, General | $161.1K | 60 |
| Architectural And Engineering Managers | $149.3K | 230 |
| Pharmacists | $145.4K | 140 |
| Computer And Information Systems Managers | $136.7K | 120 |
| Sales Managers | $131K | 160 |
| Human Resources Managers | $129.7K | 70 |
| Nurse Practitioners | $129.6K | 130 |
| Marketing Managers | $127.3K | 90 |
Largest occupations in Dubuque, IA
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Customer Service Representatives | 1,880 | $46.7K |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,810 | $31K |
| Fast Food And Counter Workers | 1,600 | $28.7K |
| Heavy And Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 1,310 | $58.5K |
| Registered Nurses | 1,280 | $76.8K |
| Cashiers | 1,240 | $30.5K |
| General And Operations Managers | 1,170 | $92.5K |
| Home Health And Personal Care Aides | 1,020 | $38.1K |
| Stockers And Order Fillers | 1,020 | $36.9K |
| Nursing Assistants | 1,010 | $41.6K |
What Dubuque, IA specializes in
The location quotient measures how concentrated an occupation is here compared to the national average. A value above 1.00 means the occupation is more common in Dubuque, IA than in the country as a whole, which signals what this metro is known for.
Most concentrated occupations in Dubuque, IA
| Occupation | Location quotient | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, And Tenders, Metal And Plastic | 6.09 | $49.2K |
| Farm Equipment Mechanics And Service Technicians | 5.77 | $61.5K |
| New Accounts Clerks | 5.76 | $47.1K |
| Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers | 5.03 | $55.8K |
| Technical Writers | 4.11 | $57.4K |
| Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators | 4.10 | $52.1K |
| Mechanical Engineering Technologists And Technicians | 4.08 | $81.1K |
| Agricultural Equipment Operators | 3.81 | $49.4K |
| Food Cooking Machine Operators And Tenders | 3.67 | $50.1K |
| Logisticians | 3.60 | $93.5K |
Comparable metros
| Metro | Average median | Highest-paid occupation |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $98.7K | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $95.7K | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $92.6K | Cardiologists |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $87.1K | Cardiologists |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $83.8K | Radiologists |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $82.7K | Radiologists |
| Boulder, CO | $82.3K | Surgeons, All Other |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $82.3K | Radiologists |
Common salary questions for Dubuque, IA
What does "average median" mean? +
It is the average of all occupation-level medians in this area. It gives a rough sense of the overall wage level here compared to other states or metros, but it is not the same as a household income figure or a single blended salary.
What is a location quotient? +
A location quotient (LQ) compares how concentrated an occupation is in this area versus the national average. An LQ of 2.0 means the occupation is twice as concentrated here as it is nationally. High-LQ occupations are what this area specializes in.
How are comparable areas selected? +
Peer areas are other metros with a similar overall wage level and employment size. They give you a quick sense of how this area ranks among places with a comparable labor market.