High paying jobs in Iowa

Every occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in Iowa. The percentile range matters more than the median on its own: it shows what the bottom and top of each field actually earn, which a single average hides.

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 · Employed

1Physicians, All Other$295,190
Doctoral or professional degree
$74,210 – $412,0101,440
2Family Medicine Physicians$265,200
Doctoral or professional degree
$116,900 – $460,2301,140
3Chief Executives$211,190
Bachelor's degree
$86,090 – $365,3203,050
4Dentists, General$181,520
Doctoral or professional degree
$100,920 – $259,9901,240
5Architectural and Engineering Managers$147,320
Bachelor's degree
$103,470 – $210,2201,520
6Computer and Information Systems Managers$143,780
Bachelor's degree
$101,340 – $213,7303,920
7Pharmacists$138,860
Doctoral or professional degree
$117,450 – $164,5203,230
8Physician Assistants$134,770
Master's degree
$102,330 – $182,9401,200
9Sales Managers$134,010
Bachelor's degree
$72,130 – $220,7703,260
10Financial Managers$133,320
Bachelor's degree
$80,020 – $225,9209,130
11Marketing Managers$131,120
Bachelor's degree
$80,160 – $203,1802,210
12Nurse Practitioners$130,160
Master's degree
$107,990 – $167,5903,240
13Actuaries$128,690
Bachelor's degree
$81,610 – $173,480530
14Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary$128,490
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,810 – $358,5503,230
15Managers, All Other$128,080
Bachelor's degree
$61,280 – $218,7903,600
16Human Resources Managers$126,370
Bachelor's degree
$86,190 – $206,9001,620
17Veterinarians$124,610
Doctoral or professional degree
$72,800 – $168,9501,000
18Lawyers$123,550
Doctoral or professional degree
$63,790 – $268,4603,550
19Purchasing Managers$121,580
Bachelor's degree
$81,500 – $197,010610
20Public Relations Managers$120,730
Bachelor's degree
$74,040 – $194,860630
21Information Security Analysts$119,710
Bachelor's degree
$71,550 – $169,6201,160
22Administrative Services Managers$116,920
Bachelor's degree
$69,670 – $171,5301,380
23Software Developers$114,890
Bachelor's degree
$74,390 – $165,8809,040
24Natural Sciences Managers$109,760
Bachelor's degree
$74,320 – $200,580610
25Computer Occupations, All Other$107,340
Bachelor's degree
$49,990 – $165,9203,850
26Industrial Production Managers$106,510
Bachelor's degree
$74,830 – $171,9103,620
27Electrical Engineers$105,820
Bachelor's degree
$76,720 – $155,4601,280
28Financial Risk Specialists$105,680
Bachelor's degree
$71,230 – $167,770530
29Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$104,260
Master's degree
$77,350 – $154,0003,310
30Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$103,380
Bachelor's degree
$55,390 – $184,1102,580
31Engineers, All Other$103,090
Bachelor's degree
$65,580 – $129,7601,100
32Computer Network Architects$103,050
Bachelor's degree
$62,850 – $160,3201,170
33Medical and Health Services Managers$101,940
Bachelor's degree
$75,080 – $171,7606,200
34Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$100,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$65,310 – $109,9801,390
35Construction Managers$99,280
Bachelor's degree
$65,260 – $167,2503,070
36Facilities Managers$99,010
Bachelor's degree
$60,030 – $141,0102,340
37Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$99,010
High school diploma or equivalent
$61,340 – $164,9801,850
38First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$98,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$76,150 – $126,4701,370
39Mechanical Engineers$97,700
Bachelor's degree
$71,050 – $137,5403,470
40Industrial Engineers$97,690
Bachelor's degree
$72,380 – $133,6103,600
41Physical Therapists$97,560
Doctoral or professional degree
$73,780 – $120,7302,530
42Architects, Except Landscape and Naval$96,810
Bachelor's degree
$60,760 – $153,330650
43Project Management Specialists$96,540
Bachelor's degree
$62,000 – $150,2906,720
44Civil Engineers$96,430
Bachelor's degree
$64,900 – $135,4802,500
45Soil and Plant Scientists$96,310
Bachelor's degree
$56,270 – $170,820960
46Computer Systems Analysts$95,920
Bachelor's degree
$63,540 – $130,7204,760
47Data Scientists$95,830
Bachelor's degree
$56,070 – $146,7002,300
48Financial and Investment Analysts$92,370
Bachelor's degree
$62,310 – $135,8902,000
49Personal Financial Advisors$92,310
Bachelor's degree
$51,310 – $268,8601,920
50Locomotive Engineers$89,970
High school diploma or equivalent
$74,770 – $95,7101,000

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	Employed
1	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$295,190	$74,210 – $412,010	1,440
2	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$265,200	$116,900 – $460,230	1,140
3	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$211,190	$86,090 – $365,320	3,050
4	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$181,520	$100,920 – $259,990	1,240
5	Architectural and Engineering ManagersBachelor's degree	$147,320	$103,470 – $210,220	1,520
6	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$143,780	$101,340 – $213,730	3,920
7	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$138,860	$117,450 – $164,520	3,230
8	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$134,770	$102,330 – $182,940	1,200
9	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$134,010	$72,130 – $220,770	3,260
10	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$133,320	$80,020 – $225,920	9,130
11	Marketing ManagersBachelor's degree	$131,120	$80,160 – $203,180	2,210
12	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$130,160	$107,990 – $167,590	3,240
13	ActuariesBachelor's degree	$128,690	$81,610 – $173,480	530
14	Health Specialties Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$128,490	$62,810 – $358,550	3,230
15	Managers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$128,080	$61,280 – $218,790	3,600
16	Human Resources ManagersBachelor's degree	$126,370	$86,190 – $206,900	1,620
17	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$124,610	$72,800 – $168,950	1,000
18	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$123,550	$63,790 – $268,460	3,550
19	Purchasing ManagersBachelor's degree	$121,580	$81,500 – $197,010	610
20	Public Relations ManagersBachelor's degree	$120,730	$74,040 – $194,860	630
21	Information Security AnalystsBachelor's degree	$119,710	$71,550 – $169,620	1,160
22	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$116,920	$69,670 – $171,530	1,380
23	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$114,890	$74,390 – $165,880	9,040
24	Natural Sciences ManagersBachelor's degree	$109,760	$74,320 – $200,580	610
25	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$107,340	$49,990 – $165,920	3,850
26	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$106,510	$74,830 – $171,910	3,620
27	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$105,820	$76,720 – $155,460	1,280
28	Financial Risk SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$105,680	$71,230 – $167,770	530
29	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$104,260	$77,350 – $154,000	3,310
30	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$103,380	$55,390 – $184,110	2,580
31	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$103,090	$65,580 – $129,760	1,100
32	Computer Network ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$103,050	$62,850 – $160,320	1,170
33	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$101,940	$75,080 – $171,760	6,200
34	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$100,200	$65,310 – $109,980	1,390
35	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$99,280	$65,260 – $167,250	3,070
36	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$99,010	$60,030 – $141,010	2,340
37	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$99,010	$61,340 – $164,980	1,850
38	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$98,840	$76,150 – $126,470	1,370
39	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$97,700	$71,050 – $137,540	3,470
40	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$97,690	$72,380 – $133,610	3,600
41	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$97,560	$73,780 – $120,730	2,530
42	Architects, Except Landscape and NavalBachelor's degree	$96,810	$60,760 – $153,330	650
43	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$96,540	$62,000 – $150,290	6,720
44	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$96,430	$64,900 – $135,480	2,500
45	Soil and Plant ScientistsBachelor's degree	$96,310	$56,270 – $170,820	960
46	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$95,920	$63,540 – $130,720	4,760
47	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$95,830	$56,070 – $146,700	2,300
48	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$92,370	$62,310 – $135,890	2,000
49	Personal Financial AdvisorsBachelor's degree	$92,310	$51,310 – $268,860	1,920
50	Locomotive EngineersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$89,970	$74,770 – $95,710	1,000

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Iowa. 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

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.

High paying jobs in Iowa

More for Iowa

Metro areas in Iowa

By field in Iowa

Without a degree

By state