Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Cedar Rapids, IA

Each occupation's median wage in Cedar Rapids, IA compared against the national median for the same occupation. Unlike a cost-of-living adjustment — which scales every job in a state by the same constant and so cannot change their order — this genuinely re-ranks, and it shows where Cedar Rapids, IA pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

Cost of living: prices in Cedar Rapids, IA run 11.0% below the national average (2024), so a Cedar Rapids, IA salary is worth about 1.12× 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 Cedar Rapids, IA

OccupationMedian, Cedar Rapids, IA · vs. national

1Food Batchmakers$77,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,040 – $81,060+84.3%
2Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$83,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,920 – $100,430+66.0%
3Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$67,700
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,940 – $81,160+56.6%
4Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$64,520
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,200 – $75,720+35.2%
5Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$64,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,990 – $64,780+33.2%
6Sheet Metal Workers$82,090
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,060 – $91,450+32.8%
7Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners$66,010
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,160 – $69,470+32.3%
8Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$83,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,830 – $94,590+30.4%
9Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Arrangers$70,280
Associate's degree
$45,150 – $91,700+27.8%
10Parts Salespersons$48,010
No formal educational credential
$29,660 – $67,480+24.3%
11Structural Iron and Steel Workers$75,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$53,730 – $77,410+20.1%
12Highway Maintenance Workers$58,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,270 – $67,980+16.3%
13Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists$77,020
Bachelor's degree
$58,630 – $104,540+16.2%
14Driver/Sales Workers$44,880
High school diploma or equivalent
$23,990 – $65,430+15.8%
15Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$74,340
Associate's degree
$47,540 – $92,520+14.5%
16Industrial Machinery Mechanics$73,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,980 – $100,710+14.4%
17Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$53,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,300 – $53,940+14.3%
18Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$72,920
Postsecondary nondegree award
$46,240 – $81,060+14.1%
19Cargo and Freight Agents$59,570
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,600 – $77,300+14.0%
20File Clerks$49,460
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,280 – $64,460+13.4%
21First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$120,030
High school diploma or equivalent
$92,200 – $122,650+13.2%
22Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs$61,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,690 – $68,390+13.1%
23Helpers, Construction Trades, All Other$48,220
No formal educational credential
$38,830 – $48,430+13.0%
24Loan Interviewers and Clerks$56,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,880 – $62,700+12.8%
25Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$57,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,040 – $70,410+12.8%
26Court, Municipal, and License Clerks$54,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,690 – $65,000+12.3%
27Loan Officers$85,990
Bachelor's degree
$49,820 – $136,610+12.1%
28Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians$62,690
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,460 – $77,370+10.9%
29Surveying and Mapping Technicians$59,520
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,790 – $90,270+9.7%
30Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other$50,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,980 – $75,690+9.7%
31Data Entry Keyers$45,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,540 – $55,960+9.7%
32Telemarketers$38,760
No formal educational credential
$29,300 – $39,400+9.3%
33First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$86,880
High school diploma or equivalent
$59,910 – $109,630+8.7%
34Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$103,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$75,970 – $109,980+8.1%
35Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$43,300
No formal educational credential
$31,520 – $52,940+7.6%
36Postal Service Clerks$66,750
No formal educational credential
$42,600 – $75,030+7.4%
37Helpers--Production Workers$41,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,810 – $66,620+6.8%
38Family Medicine Physicians$260,440
Doctoral or professional degree
$60,440 – $484,120+6.7%
39Bill and Account Collectors$50,090
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,510 – $59,530+6.5%
40Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$63,310
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,430 – $86,720+5.8%
41Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$56,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,550 – $66,190+5.6%
42Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining$60,630
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,560 – $75,030+5.6%
43Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$86,800
Bachelor's degree
$55,310 – $133,670+5.6%
44Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks$47,690
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,670 – $76,290+5.4%
45Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$62,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,790 – $77,320+4.6%
46Maintenance and Repair Workers, General$51,880
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,610 – $85,480+4.6%
47Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$51,230
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,060 – $62,780+4.6%
48Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$94,010
Bachelor's degree
$64,270 – $127,910+4.3%
49Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$49,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,950 – $60,840+4.2%
50Training and Development Specialists$72,120
Bachelor's degree
$39,810 – $120,960+4.1%

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

#	Occupation	MedianCedar Rapids, IA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,920	$36,040 – $81,060	+84.3%
2	Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$83,470	$38,920 – $100,430	+66.0%
3	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$67,700	$37,940 – $81,160	+56.6%
4	Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,520	$43,200 – $75,720	+35.2%
5	Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,670	$58,990 – $64,780	+33.2%
6	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,090	$45,060 – $91,450	+32.8%
7	Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe CleanersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,010	$44,160 – $69,470	+32.3%
8	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$83,210	$47,830 – $94,590	+30.4%
9	Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral ArrangersAssociate's degree	$70,280	$45,150 – $91,700	+27.8%
10	Parts SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$48,010	$29,660 – $67,480	+24.3%
11	Structural Iron and Steel WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,380	$53,730 – $77,410	+20.1%
12	Highway Maintenance WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,440	$48,270 – $67,980	+16.3%
13	Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$77,020	$58,630 – $104,540	+16.2%
14	Driver/Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,880	$23,990 – $65,430	+15.8%
15	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$74,340	$47,540 – $92,520	+14.5%
16	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,800	$47,980 – $100,710	+14.4%
17	Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,940	$45,300 – $53,940	+14.3%
18	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$72,920	$46,240 – $81,060	+14.1%
19	Cargo and Freight AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,570	$36,600 – $77,300	+14.0%
20	File ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,460	$37,280 – $64,460	+13.4%
21	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$120,030	$92,200 – $122,650	+13.2%
22	Eligibility Interviewers, Government ProgramsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,330	$38,690 – $68,390	+13.1%
23	Helpers, Construction Trades, All OtherNo formal educational credential	$48,220	$38,830 – $48,430	+13.0%
24	Loan Interviewers and ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,410	$39,880 – $62,700	+12.8%
25	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,170	$39,040 – $70,410	+12.8%
26	Court, Municipal, and License ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,710	$41,690 – $65,000	+12.3%
27	Loan OfficersBachelor's degree	$85,990	$49,820 – $136,610	+12.1%
28	Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,690	$45,460 – $77,370	+10.9%
29	Surveying and Mapping TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,520	$48,790 – $90,270	+9.7%
30	Office and Administrative Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,120	$35,980 – $75,690	+9.7%
31	Data Entry KeyersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,330	$34,540 – $55,960	+9.7%
32	TelemarketersNo formal educational credential	$38,760	$29,300 – $39,400	+9.3%
33	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$86,880	$59,910 – $109,630	+8.7%
34	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$103,080	$75,970 – $109,980	+8.1%
35	Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNo formal educational credential	$43,300	$31,520 – $52,940	+7.6%
36	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$66,750	$42,600 – $75,030	+7.4%
37	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$41,740	$29,810 – $66,620	+6.8%
38	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$260,440	$60,440 – $484,120	+6.7%
39	Bill and Account CollectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,090	$33,510 – $59,530	+6.5%
40	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,310	$49,430 – $86,720	+5.8%
41	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,750	$45,550 – $66,190	+5.6%
42	Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface MiningHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,630	$48,560 – $75,030	+5.6%
43	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$86,800	$55,310 – $133,670	+5.6%
44	Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,690	$35,670 – $76,290	+5.4%
45	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,800	$45,790 – $77,320	+4.6%
46	Maintenance and Repair Workers, GeneralHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,880	$36,610 – $85,480	+4.6%
47	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,230	$39,060 – $62,780	+4.6%
48	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$94,010	$64,270 – $127,910	+4.3%
49	Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,920	$42,950 – $60,840	+4.2%
50	Training and Development SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$72,120	$39,810 – $120,960	+4.1%

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Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Cedar Rapids, IA

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