Iowa Average Salary 2026
Average pay, top-paying occupations, and cost of living across Iowa.
The average salary in Iowa is $106,494 as of 2026, based on Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS 2025 data aggregated across 1 metropolitan areas (Des Moines). The highest-paying tracked occupation in the state is Obstetrician/Gynecologist at $369,390 median; 27 occupations pay six-figure ($100K+) medians. Adjusted for the state's average cost-of-living index of 93, the average median equates to $114,510 of purchasing power in an average-cost U.S. metro.
Iowa has 1 metropolitan areas in our BLS OEWS coverage. Wages within the state vary substantially by metro — large coastal cities typically pay materially more than smaller inland ones, though the cost-of-living gap closes a lot of the apparent difference. BLS OEWS data captures every metropolitan statistical area (MSA) above a population threshold. Cities below that threshold roll up to non-metropolitan areas, which are not represented in the per-metro view but are captured in state-level rollups.
For workers comparing Iowa job markets, the per-metro pages give the role-specific breakdown that headline state averages obscure. The role-specific ranking pages — which list the highest-paying cities for a single occupation — are particularly useful when geographic flexibility is real and the role is the constraint.
Top 10 Highest-Paying Jobs in Iowa
Obstetrician/Gynecologist
Healthcare · 40 jobs in state · top metro: Des Moines ($369,390)
Pediatrician
Healthcare · 90 jobs in state · top metro: Des Moines ($271,190)
Family Medicine Physician
Healthcare · 250 jobs in state · top metro: Des Moines ($265,200)
Dentist
Healthcare · 360 jobs in state · top metro: Des Moines ($209,300)
Computer and Information Systems Manager
Technology · 2,050 jobs in state · top metro: Des Moines ($164,840)
Financial Manager
Finance · 3,800 jobs in state · top metro: Des Moines ($154,140)
Pharmacist
Healthcare · 850 jobs in state · top metro: Des Moines ($141,110)
Human Resources Manager
Management · 520 jobs in state · top metro: Des Moines ($138,140)
Sales Manager
Management · 1,200 jobs in state · top metro: Des Moines ($136,570)
Marketing Manager
Management · 950 jobs in state · top metro: Des Moines ($135,140)
Cities in Iowa
Frequently Asked Questions
The average salary in Iowa is $106,494 as of 2026, based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics' OEWS 2025 release aggregated across 1 BLS-tracked metros. The figure is employment-weighted, so larger occupations contribute proportionally more to the average. The top-paying role in the state is Obstetrician/Gynecologist at $369,390 median.
The top five highest-paying occupations in Iowa, ranked by employment-weighted median across all tracked metros, are Obstetrician/Gynecologist ($369,390), Pediatrician ($271,190), Family Medicine Physician ($265,200), Dentist ($209,300), Computer and Information Systems Manager ($164,840). See the full ranking at /ranking/highest-paying-jobs/state/iowa.
27 of the 64 BLS-tracked occupations in Iowa have a state-aggregated median salary of $100,000 or higher. That places this state in the upper tier nationally.
Des Moines, IA leads Iowa with an average median salary of $106,494 across 64 BLS-tracked occupations.
The average cost-of-living index across Iowa's tracked metros is 93 (national avg = 100). The state average median of $106,494 translates to $114,510 of purchasing power in an average-cost U.S. metro. Low COL means nominal pay translates to better-than-average buying power.
State aggregates are employment-weighted across the BLS-tracked metros in Iowa, using the OEWS 2025 reference period.
64 data points · BLS OEWS 2025 · last refreshed 2026-05-21
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2026.