State Median Salary
$84,486
Total DOL Filings
24,833
Companies Hiring
25+
Cost of Living Index
90.3
National average = 100
Iowa vs National Average
Iowa
$84,486
National Average (BLS)
$49,500
Iowa median DOL salary is +70.7% above the national average.
Top Cities by Hiring Activity in Iowa
| City | DOL Filings | Median Salary | Top Employer |
|---|---|---|---|
| DES MOINES, IA | 4,574 | $83,110 | COGNIZANT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS US CORP |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | 3,361 | $85,620 | Rockwell Collins Inc. |
| West Des Moines, IA | 2,910 | $75,963 | Tata Consultancy Services Limited |
| Iowa City, IA | 2,753 | $96,116 | The University of Iowa |
| Ames, IA | 1,649 | $70,545 | Iowa State University of Science and Technology |
| URBANDALE, IA | 1,443 | $71,048 | Launch IT, Corp. |
| Johnston, IA | 1,063 | $83,637 | Yash Solutions, LLC |
| Davenport, IA | 580 | $109,173 | Genesis Health System |
| Waterloo, IA | 449 | $166,393 | Covenant Medical Center |
| Dubuque, IA | 447 | $69,939 | IBM Corporation |
Top Employers in Iowa
Highest-Paying Occupations in Iowa
| Job Title | Median Salary | vs BLS State | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physicians, All Other | $321,652 | N/A | 6 |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | $295,000 | N/A | 5 |
| Chief Executives | $169,832 | -4.9% | 7 |
| Dentists, General | $135,200 | -22.7% | 41 |
| Software Developers | $120,000 | +9.2% | 12 |
| Natural Sciences Managers | $117,966 | +14.7% | 12 |
| Pharmacists | $112,112 | -15.8% | 19 |
| Veterinarians | $110,000 | +9% | 9 |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | $110,000 | +3.7% | 143 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $109,454 | -20.6% | 28 |
| Industrial Production Managers | $105,364 | +0.4% | 14 |
| Construction Managers | $100,000 | +3.8% | 7 |
| Business Teachers, Postsecondary | $99,105 | +21.8% | 97 |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | $96,470 | -29.4% | 100 |
| Marketing Managers | $92,500 | -27.8% | 22 |
| Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary | $84,500 | -13.2% | 18 |
| Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary | $84,000 | -24.9% | 77 |
| Sales Managers | $83,866 | -34.5% | 5 |
| Chemical Engineers | $83,179 | -17.7% | 41 |
| Computer Systems Analysts | $83,000 | -9.5% | 9 |
BLS Wage Survey - Iowa
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, state-level occupational wages (all workers, not just sponsored positions).| Occupation | BLS Median | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Nurse Anesthetists | $229,950 | 580 |
| Orthodontists | $223,020 | 30 |
| Chief Executives | $178,530 | 3,520 |
| Dentists, General | $174,990 | 850 |
| Law Teachers, Postsecondary | $170,810 | N/A |
| Aerospace Engineers | $150,010 | N/A |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $137,870 | 1,520 |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | $136,610 | 3,650 |
| Nurse Midwives | $136,450 | 70 |
| Physician Assistants | $133,400 | 1,200 |
| Pharmacists | $133,220 | 2,920 |
| Database Architects | $131,370 | 280 |
| Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | $130,980 | 100 |
| Financial Managers | $130,600 | 9,400 |
| Actuaries | $129,870 | 650 |
| Nurse Practitioners | $129,420 | 2,810 |
| Medical Dosimetrists | $128,690 | 30 |
| Marketing Managers | $128,150 | 2,210 |
| Sales Managers | $128,010 | 2,960 |
| Managers, All Other | $127,680 | 3,360 |
Cost of Living Analysis
How far does your salary actually go in Iowa?
Iowa has a cost of living index of
90.3 (national average = 100), meaning it is
9.7% less expensive than the national average.
A salary of $100,000 in Iowa has the purchasing power equivalent of
$110,742 in a city at the national average cost of living.
Top Occupations - COL-Adjusted Salary
| Job Title | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Physicians, All Other | $321,652 | $356,204 |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | $295,000 | $326,689 |
| Chief Executives | $169,832 | $188,075 |
| Dentists, General | $135,200 | $149,723 |
| Software Developers | $120,000 | $132,890 |
Salary Trend in Iowa
Median DOL-filed salary by fiscal yearPopular Searches in Iowa
Compare Iowa to Another State
See how Iowa stacks up against other states.Source: US Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) public disclosure files (PERM Form ETA-9089 and LCA Form ETA-9035), and US Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Salary figures represent employer filings and government survey estimates, not individual worker pay.