Average Salaries in Iowa City, IA
Explore salaries across 300 occupations in Iowa City, IA. The average median wage across all tracked occupations is $66.8K, +1.5% 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: 300 occupations and 83,940 total jobs in Iowa City, IA.
How the metro compares
Wages in Iowa City, IA track close to the national average. Pay for most occupations here is similar to what workers earn nationally.
Iowa City, IA is a smaller metro labor market. Some occupations may have limited local demand.
The highest-paid occupation tracked here is Anesthesiologists. 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 Iowa City, 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 Iowa City, IA
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Anesthesiologists | $407.2K | 40 |
| Physicians, All Other | $257.3K | 470 |
| Family Medicine Physicians | $208.9K | 30 |
| Chief Executives | $205.3K | 110 |
| Dentists, General | $199.4K | 50 |
| Psychiatrists | $161.6K | 30 |
| Architectural And Engineering Managers | $151.9K | 50 |
| Pharmacists | $142.5K | 450 |
| Budget Analysts | $134.9K | 40 |
| Physician Assistants | $134.8K | 230 |
Largest occupations in Iowa City, IA
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | 4,090 | $85.9K |
| Fast Food And Counter Workers | 2,890 | $28.8K |
| Retail Salespersons | 2,710 | $29.9K |
| Heavy And Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 2,360 | $62K |
| Cashiers | 2,090 | $29.1K |
| Waiters And Waitresses | 1,890 | $22K |
| Home Health And Personal Care Aides | 1,780 | $35.6K |
| General And Operations Managers | 1,600 | $81.1K |
| Janitors And Cleaners, Except Maids And Housekeeping Cleaners | 1,540 | $37.7K |
| Stockers And Order Fillers | 1,350 | $36.4K |
What Iowa City, 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 Iowa City, IA than in the country as a whole, which signals what this metro is known for.
Most concentrated occupations in Iowa City, IA
| Occupation | Location quotient | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Biological Technicians | 12.30 | $48.1K |
| Healthcare Diagnosing Or Treating Practitioners, All Other | 9.88 | $86.9K |
| Agricultural Technicians | 7.46 | $59.8K |
| Office And Administrative Support Workers, All Other | 6.84 | $47.6K |
| Orthotists And Prosthetists | 6.53 | $95.3K |
| Environmental Science And Protection Technicians, Including Health | 5.03 | $63.7K |
| Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists | 4.48 | $81.6K |
| Pharmacy Aides | 4.38 | $36.4K |
| Audiologists | 4.36 | $97.2K |
| Chiropractors | 4.26 | $78K |
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 Iowa City, 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.