Fastest growing jobs in Iowa, 2024–34

Ranked by projected percent change in employment from 2024 to 2034 in Iowa. Percent growth favours small occupations, so the openings column is often the more useful number — a fast-growing job with few openings is harder to enter than a flat one with many.

State projections are produced by Iowa's own workforce agency and collected by Projections Central — the Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes projections only at the national level. Methodology varies by state, so these are not directly comparable with the national figures. Wages remain BLS OEWS.

Cost of living: prices in Iowa run 12.2% below the national average (2024), so a Iowa salary is worth about 1.14× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order. To see where a job pays a real premium, use jobs that pay more in Iowa.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in Iowa

OccupationMedian, Iowa · Growth 2024–34

1Wind Turbine Service Technicians$74,880
Postsecondary nondegree award
$57,630 – $100,410+66.1%
2Nurse Practitioners$130,160
Master's degree
$107,990 – $167,590+47.7%
3Data Scientists$95,830
Bachelor's degree
$56,070 – $146,700+33.7%
4Medical and Health Services Managers$101,940
Bachelor's degree
$75,080 – $171,760+29.3%
5Ophthalmic Medical Technicians$44,030
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,860 – $58,610+28.5%
6Information Security Analysts$119,710
Bachelor's degree
$71,550 – $169,620+28.4%
7Physical Therapist Assistants$61,030
Associate's degree
$45,760 – $74,950+28.2%
8Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$60,880
Master's degree
$44,450 – $102,890+26.2%
9Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary$128,490
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,810 – $358,550+25.4%
10Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary$77,360
Doctoral or professional degree
$49,450 – $104,820+24.6%
11Massage Therapists$57,710
Postsecondary nondegree award
$37,560 – $91,570+24.4%
12Physician Assistants$134,770
Master's degree
$102,330 – $182,940+23.3%
13Chiropractors$75,050
Doctoral or professional degree
$35,990 – $122,740+21.9%
14Industrial Machinery Mechanics$64,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,770 – $82,780+21.7%
15Home Health and Personal Care Aides$36,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,420 – $45,490+21.4%
16Athletic Trainers$55,430
Master's degree
$47,250 – $69,620+21.4%
17Actuaries$128,690
Bachelor's degree
$81,610 – $173,480+21.0%
18Financial Examiners$80,370
Bachelor's degree
$55,650 – $149,160+20.5%
19Speech-Language Pathologists$81,050
Master's degree
$63,270 – $106,460+20.4%
20Logisticians$78,740
Bachelor's degree
$53,530 – $110,240+19.9%
21Occupational Therapists$89,910
Master's degree
$64,610 – $109,200+19.7%
22Medical Assistants$45,480
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,730 – $54,960+19.1%
23Clinical and Counseling Psychologists$91,690
Doctoral or professional degree
$64,200 – $168,660+19.0%
24Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$86,480
Associate's degree
$72,480 – $101,970+18.9%
25Financial Managers$133,320
Bachelor's degree
$80,020 – $225,920+18.1%
26Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$87,830
Bachelor's degree
$59,080 – $126,480+17.6%
27Physical Therapists$97,560
Doctoral or professional degree
$73,780 – $120,730+17.4%
28Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers$57,780
Postsecondary nondegree award
$39,150 – $78,160+17.3%
29Respiratory Therapists$74,760
Associate's degree
$62,860 – $86,510+17.1%
30Medical Equipment Repairers$59,300
Associate's degree
$40,400 – $80,360+16.7%
31Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$83,850
Doctoral or professional degree
$59,580 – $142,140+16.5%
32Industrial Engineers$97,690
Bachelor's degree
$72,380 – $133,610+16.3%
33Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers$48,530
Master's degree
$37,980 – $80,760+15.7%
34Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders$57,550
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,330 – $82,120+15.5%
35Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary$103,360
Doctoral or professional degree
$63,250 – $166,390+15.5%
36Personal Financial Advisors$92,310
Bachelor's degree
$51,310 – $268,860+15.2%
37Medical Equipment Preparers$39,930
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,070 – $52,300+15.1%
38Nurse Anesthetists$273,070
Master's degree
$124,470 – $315,610+14.9%
39Mechanical Engineers$97,700
Bachelor's degree
$71,050 – $137,540+14.7%
40Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$78,060
Doctoral or professional degree
$59,130 – $167,300+14.6%
41Computer and Information Systems Managers$143,780
Bachelor's degree
$101,340 – $213,730+14.5%
42Dental Hygienists$84,010
Associate's degree
$78,320 – $95,810+14.4%
43Dental Assistants$48,430
Postsecondary nondegree award
$39,360 – $59,580+13.8%
44Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs$32,580
No formal educational credential
$25,690 – $44,840+13.6%
45Dentists, General$181,520
Doctoral or professional degree
$100,920 – $259,990+13.5%
46Cooks, Restaurant$35,670
No formal educational credential
$28,690 – $44,460+13.0%
47Business Teachers, Postsecondary$83,200
Doctoral or professional degree
$49,750 – $207,890+13.0%
48Stockers and Order Fillers$36,640
No formal educational credential
$28,450 – $50,110+13.0%
49Web Developers$64,210
Bachelor's degree
$48,230 – $106,170+12.8%
50Medical Records Specialists$50,640
Postsecondary nondegree award
$38,910 – $66,390+12.8%

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianIowa	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Growth 2024–34
1	Wind Turbine Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$74,880	$57,630 – $100,410	+66.1%
2	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$130,160	$107,990 – $167,590	+47.7%
3	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$95,830	$56,070 – $146,700	+33.7%
4	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$101,940	$75,080 – $171,760	+29.3%
5	Ophthalmic Medical TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$44,030	$36,860 – $58,610	+28.5%
6	Information Security AnalystsBachelor's degree	$119,710	$71,550 – $169,620	+28.4%
7	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$61,030	$45,760 – $74,950	+28.2%
8	Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health CounselorsMaster's degree	$60,880	$44,450 – $102,890	+26.2%
9	Health Specialties Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$128,490	$62,810 – $358,550	+25.4%
10	Nursing Instructors and Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$77,360	$49,450 – $104,820	+24.6%
11	Massage TherapistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$57,710	$37,560 – $91,570	+24.4%
12	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$134,770	$102,330 – $182,940	+23.3%
13	ChiropractorsDoctoral or professional degree	$75,050	$35,990 – $122,740	+21.9%
14	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,400	$47,770 – $82,780	+21.7%
15	Home Health and Personal Care AidesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$36,080	$30,420 – $45,490	+21.4%
16	Athletic TrainersMaster's degree	$55,430	$47,250 – $69,620	+21.4%
17	ActuariesBachelor's degree	$128,690	$81,610 – $173,480	+21.0%
18	Financial ExaminersBachelor's degree	$80,370	$55,650 – $149,160	+20.5%
19	Speech-Language PathologistsMaster's degree	$81,050	$63,270 – $106,460	+20.4%
20	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$78,740	$53,530 – $110,240	+19.9%
21	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$89,910	$64,610 – $109,200	+19.7%
22	Medical AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$45,480	$36,730 – $54,960	+19.1%
23	Clinical and Counseling PsychologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$91,690	$64,200 – $168,660	+19.0%
24	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$86,480	$72,480 – $101,970	+18.9%
25	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$133,320	$80,020 – $225,920	+18.1%
26	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$87,830	$59,080 – $126,480	+17.6%
27	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$97,560	$73,780 – $120,730	+17.4%
28	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool ProgrammersPostsecondary nondegree award	$57,780	$39,150 – $78,160	+17.3%
29	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$74,760	$62,860 – $86,510	+17.1%
30	Medical Equipment RepairersAssociate's degree	$59,300	$40,400 – $80,360	+16.7%
31	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$83,850	$59,580 – $142,140	+16.5%
32	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$97,690	$72,380 – $133,610	+16.3%
33	Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social WorkersMaster's degree	$48,530	$37,980 – $80,760	+15.7%
34	Chemical Equipment Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,550	$46,330 – $82,120	+15.5%
35	Engineering Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$103,360	$63,250 – $166,390	+15.5%
36	Personal Financial AdvisorsBachelor's degree	$92,310	$51,310 – $268,860	+15.2%
37	Medical Equipment PreparersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,930	$37,070 – $52,300	+15.1%
38	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$273,070	$124,470 – $315,610	+14.9%
39	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$97,700	$71,050 – $137,540	+14.7%
40	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$78,060	$59,130 – $167,300	+14.6%
41	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$143,780	$101,340 – $213,730	+14.5%
42	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$84,010	$78,320 – $95,810	+14.4%
43	Dental AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$48,430	$39,360 – $59,580	+13.8%
44	Shuttle Drivers and ChauffeursNo formal educational credential	$32,580	$25,690 – $44,840	+13.6%
45	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$181,520	$100,920 – $259,990	+13.5%
46	Cooks, RestaurantNo formal educational credential	$35,670	$28,690 – $44,460	+13.0%
47	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$83,200	$49,750 – $207,890	+13.0%
48	Stockers and Order FillersNo formal educational credential	$36,640	$28,450 – $50,110	+13.0%
49	Web DevelopersBachelor's degree	$64,210	$48,230 – $106,170	+12.8%
50	Medical Records SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$50,640	$38,910 – $66,390	+12.8%

More for Iowa

Metro areas in Iowa

Pay varies more between metros than between states — the spread inside one state is often wider than the gap between two.

By field in Iowa

Without a degree

The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Iowa to rank honestly.

Fastest growing jobs in Iowa, 2024–34

More for Iowa

Metro areas in Iowa

By field in Iowa

Without a degree

Fastest growing jobs in each state, 2024–34