Average Salaries in Iowa
Explore salaries across 718 occupations in Iowa. The average median wage across all tracked occupations is $68.2K, +3.7% 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: 718 occupations and 1,550,560 total jobs in Iowa.
How the state compares
Wages in Iowa track close to the national average. Pay for most occupations here is similar to what workers earn nationally.
Iowa has a mid-sized labor market, with strong representation in some occupations but thinner coverage in niche roles.
The highest-paid occupation tracked here is Emergency Medicine Physicians. 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
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
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency Medicine Physicians | $429.1K | 290 |
| Dermatologists | $425K | N/A |
| Radiologists | $405.2K | 130 |
| Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric | $394.9K | 90 |
| Surgeons, All Other | $370.4K | 110 |
| Obstetricians And Gynecologists | $356K | 180 |
| Physicians, Pathologists | $323.5K | 80 |
| Psychiatrists | $295.3K | 170 |
| Physicians, All Other | $295.2K | 1,440 |
| Cardiologists | $283.1K | 100 |
Largest occupations in Iowa
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Cashiers | 41,450 | $29K |
| Retail Salespersons | 41,000 | $31.4K |
| Fast Food And Counter Workers | 40,290 | $28.4K |
| Heavy And Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 35,040 | $58.1K |
| Registered Nurses | 34,420 | $78.6K |
| Laborers And Freight, Stock, And Material Movers, Hand | 30,890 | $43.5K |
| General And Operations Managers | 30,760 | $87.7K |
| Customer Service Representatives | 30,100 | $46.1K |
| Stockers And Order Fillers | 26,770 | $36.6K |
| Home Health And Personal Care Aides | 25,800 | $36.1K |
What Iowa 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 than in the country as a whole, which signals what this state is known for.
Most concentrated occupations in Iowa
| Occupation | Location quotient | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Wind Turbine Service Technicians | 8.97 | $74.9K |
| Food Processing Workers, All Other | 8.00 | $41.7K |
| Motion Picture Projectionists | 6.66 | $23.2K |
| Agricultural Engineers | 6.56 | $96.3K |
| Patternmakers, Metal And Plastic | 6.32 | $63.4K |
| Farm And Home Management Educators | 6.30 | $48.2K |
| Dredge Operators | 6.25 | $58K |
| Soil And Plant Scientists | 6.07 | $96.3K |
| Slaughterers And Meat Packers | 6.02 | $43.8K |
| Farm Equipment Mechanics And Service Technicians | 5.83 | $59.9K |
Comparable states
| State | Average median | Highest-paid occupation |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $89.7K | Neurologists |
| Washington | $86.5K | Cardiologists |
| New York | $83.2K | Cardiologists |
| California | $83.2K | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric |
| Massachusetts | $81.2K | Radiologists |
| New Jersey | $80.4K | Radiologists |
| Minnesota | $79.9K | Radiologists |
| Alaska | $79.6K | Emergency Medicine Physicians |
Metros inside Iowa
Salaries can vary a lot within a single state. Urban metro areas typically pay more than rural regions, and specific industries cluster in particular cities. Drill into any metro below for its own full salary breakdown.
Major metros in Iowa
| Metro | Average median | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $69.9K | 394,920 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $63.3K | 172,240 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | $63.3K | 133,940 |
| Iowa City, IA | $66.8K | 83,940 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $61.3K | 77,820 |
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $61.7K | 69,160 |
| Dubuque, IA | $61.9K | 51,500 |
| Ames, IA | $64.7K | 48,100 |
Common salary questions for Iowa
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 states 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.