High paying entry level jobs in Iowa City, IA

These occupations in Iowa City, IA ask for no prior experience in a related job and no on-the-job training period: you are expected to be productive on arrival. That is precisely why most of them want a specific qualification instead — the credential does the work the experience would have. Read the line under each title for what that qualification is; several here are doctorates. If you need something you can start without one, use the no-experience list.

Cost of living: prices in Iowa City, IA run 8.5% below the national average (2024), so a Iowa City, IA salary is worth about 1.09× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order.

Local wage estimates are suppressed more often than state ones — BLS withholds any figure too few local employers report — so an occupation missing here simply has no published local estimate.

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

Find high paying jobs in Iowa City, IA

OccupationMedian, Iowa City, IA · Employed

1Dentists, General$199,410
Doctoral or professional degree
$120,250 – $252,92050
2Pharmacists$142,530
Doctoral or professional degree
$120,310 – $163,860450
3Budget Analysts$134,850
Bachelor's degree
$81,330 – $160,46040
4Physician Assistants$134,770
Master's degree
$114,490 – $174,080230
5Nurse Practitioners$129,030
Master's degree
$114,060 – $156,520330
6Veterinarians$128,180
Doctoral or professional degree
$74,680 – $195,09040
7Lawyers$127,210
Doctoral or professional degree
$64,210 – $246,290140
8Computer Programmers$113,590
Bachelor's degree
$72,650 – $128,520100
9Software Developers$107,680
Bachelor's degree
$74,330 – $167,280690
10Electrical Engineers$107,000
Bachelor's degree
$84,580 – $161,89060
11Computer Occupations, All Other$106,890
Bachelor's degree
$55,020 – $152,930260
12Engineers, All Other$102,660
Bachelor's degree
$76,340 – $129,40030
13Database Administrators$101,580
Bachelor's degree
$63,880 – $164,63050
14Audiologists$97,180
Doctoral or professional degree
$80,070 – $119,40040
15Project Management Specialists$96,820
Bachelor's degree
$64,130 – $146,200420
16Mechanical Engineers$96,190
Bachelor's degree
$69,010 – $134,97060
17Physical Therapists$94,480
Doctoral or professional degree
$71,870 – $123,170180
18Civil Engineers$93,020
Bachelor's degree
$62,590 – $141,080130
19Dental Hygienists$92,020
Associate's degree
$79,440 – $98,470120
20Occupational Therapists$91,560
Master's degree
$62,780 – $105,460100
21Social Workers, All Other$90,900
Bachelor's degree
$68,490 – $115,36050
22Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$89,570
Bachelor's degree
$67,960 – $119,96050
23Network and Computer Systems Administrators$87,770
Bachelor's degree
$67,100 – $115,690220
24Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$86,940
Associate's degree
$72,480 – $108,59090
25Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners, All Other$86,880
Master's degree
$64,360 – $123,930170
26Registered Nurses$85,940
Bachelor's degree
$70,290 – $106,1504,090
27Industrial Engineers$85,800
Bachelor's degree
$74,400 – $126,760180
28Soil and Plant Scientists$84,360
Bachelor's degree
$53,360 – $166,09030
29Computer Systems Analysts$82,040
Bachelor's degree
$63,450 – $120,180180
30Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$81,580
Doctoral or professional degree
$67,190 – $102,760470
31Financial and Investment Analysts$80,810
Bachelor's degree
$67,080 – $101,480120
32Biological Scientists, All Other$80,100
Bachelor's degree
$64,750 – $115,57080
33Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other$79,220
Associate's degree
$57,140 – $107,74030
34Business Operations Specialists, All Other$78,850
Bachelor's degree
$51,440 – $153,970910
35Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$78,780
Bachelor's degree
$53,520 – $99,46070
36Chiropractors$77,970
Doctoral or professional degree
$59,860 – $98,530100
37Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$77,680
Master's degree
$56,920 – $101,580170
38Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$75,330
Bachelor's degree
$51,400 – $122,70030
39Respiratory Therapists$75,110
Associate's degree
$66,010 – $86,510150
40Accountants and Auditors$75,100
Bachelor's degree
$50,330 – $115,830790
41Logisticians$73,920
Bachelor's degree
$51,130 – $104,640120
42Data Scientists$72,120
Bachelor's degree
$48,190 – $128,120170
43Human Resources Specialists$71,120
Bachelor's degree
$48,850 – $111,550480
44Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$69,950
Associate's degree
$45,120 – $87,36040
45Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$69,130
Associate's degree
$47,620 – $78,24040
46Paralegals and Legal Assistants$66,400
Associate's degree
$48,680 – $105,010330
47Medical Records Specialists$66,340
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,040 – $80,060330
48Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$65,820
Associate's degree
$54,360 – $105,570240
49Chemists$65,270
Bachelor's degree
$65,270 – $86,33040
50Public Relations Specialists$64,170
Bachelor's degree
$38,900 – $87,340200

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

#	Occupation	MedianIowa City, IA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$199,410	$120,250 – $252,920	50
2	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$142,530	$120,310 – $163,860	450
3	Budget AnalystsBachelor's degree	$134,850	$81,330 – $160,460	40
4	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$134,770	$114,490 – $174,080	230
5	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$129,030	$114,060 – $156,520	330
6	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$128,180	$74,680 – $195,090	40
7	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$127,210	$64,210 – $246,290	140
8	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$113,590	$72,650 – $128,520	100
9	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$107,680	$74,330 – $167,280	690
10	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$107,000	$84,580 – $161,890	60
11	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$106,890	$55,020 – $152,930	260
12	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$102,660	$76,340 – $129,400	30
13	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$101,580	$63,880 – $164,630	50
14	AudiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$97,180	$80,070 – $119,400	40
15	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$96,820	$64,130 – $146,200	420
16	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$96,190	$69,010 – $134,970	60
17	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$94,480	$71,870 – $123,170	180
18	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$93,020	$62,590 – $141,080	130
19	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$92,020	$79,440 – $98,470	120
20	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$91,560	$62,780 – $105,460	100
21	Social Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$90,900	$68,490 – $115,360	50
22	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$89,570	$67,960 – $119,960	50
23	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$87,770	$67,100 – $115,690	220
24	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$86,940	$72,480 – $108,590	90
25	Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners, All OtherMaster's degree	$86,880	$64,360 – $123,930	170
26	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$85,940	$70,290 – $106,150	4,090
27	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$85,800	$74,400 – $126,760	180
28	Soil and Plant ScientistsBachelor's degree	$84,360	$53,360 – $166,090	30
29	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$82,040	$63,450 – $120,180	180
30	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$81,580	$67,190 – $102,760	470
31	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$80,810	$67,080 – $101,480	120
32	Biological Scientists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$80,100	$64,750 – $115,570	80
33	Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All OtherAssociate's degree	$79,220	$57,140 – $107,740	30
34	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$78,850	$51,440 – $153,970	910
35	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$78,780	$53,520 – $99,460	70
36	ChiropractorsDoctoral or professional degree	$77,970	$59,860 – $98,530	100
37	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$77,680	$56,920 – $101,580	170
38	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$75,330	$51,400 – $122,700	30
39	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$75,110	$66,010 – $86,510	150
40	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$75,100	$50,330 – $115,830	790
41	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$73,920	$51,130 – $104,640	120
42	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$72,120	$48,190 – $128,120	170
43	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$71,120	$48,850 – $111,550	480
44	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$69,950	$45,120 – $87,360	40
45	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$69,130	$47,620 – $78,240	40
46	Paralegals and Legal AssistantsAssociate's degree	$66,400	$48,680 – $105,010	330
47	Medical Records SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$66,340	$47,040 – $80,060	330
48	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$65,820	$54,360 – $105,570	240
49	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$65,270	$65,270 – $86,330	40
50	Public Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$64,170	$38,900 – $87,340	200

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Iowa City, IA. The rarer ones are real jobs — but a 1,190-person occupation at the top of a list answers a different question than the one most readers are asking.

More for Iowa City, IA

Other metro areas in IA

By field in Iowa City, IA

Without a degree

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

High paying entry level jobs in Iowa City, IA

More for Iowa City, IA

Other metro areas in IA

By field in Iowa City, IA

Without a degree

High paying entry level jobs in each state