Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Dubuque, IA

Each occupation's median wage in Dubuque, 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 Dubuque, IA pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

Cost of living: prices in Dubuque, IA run 12.7% below the national average (2024), so a Dubuque, IA salary is worth about 1.15× 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 Dubuque, IA

OccupationMedian, Dubuque, IA · vs. national

1Driver/Sales Workers$53,910
High school diploma or equivalent
$23,510 – $64,040+39.1%
2Highway Maintenance Workers$61,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$53,100 – $62,920+22.2%
3Production Workers, All Other$48,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,270 – $59,510+21.5%
4Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders$50,140
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,660 – $50,140+20.6%
5Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics$61,030
Postsecondary nondegree award
$37,600 – $77,770+20.6%
6Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$77,370
Associate's degree
$45,090 – $90,570+19.1%
7Agricultural Equipment Operators$49,440
No formal educational credential
$33,240 – $70,200+18.5%
8Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians$77,860
Associate's degree
$59,720 – $86,390+17.8%
9Parts Salespersons$45,060
No formal educational credential
$29,420 – $60,890+16.6%
10Physicians, All Other$309,930
Doctoral or professional degree
$202,280 – $525,310+16.5%
11Food Batchmakers$49,130
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,020 – $58,380+16.2%
12Court, Municipal, and License Clerks$56,290
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,450 – $80,680+15.6%
13Insurance Sales Agents$71,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,510 – $160,820+15.4%
14Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$45,960
No formal educational credential
$34,590 – $54,720+14.2%
15Logisticians$93,480
Bachelor's degree
$63,470 – $143,750+13.6%
16Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$50,320
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,540 – $56,910+12.7%
17Tax Preparers$61,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,520 – $83,540+11.7%
18Bakers$41,160
No formal educational credential
$22,370 – $49,180+10.8%
19Food Service Managers$76,910
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,100 – $89,240+10.8%
20Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$47,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,770 – $52,470+10.2%
21Maintenance and Repair Workers, General$54,360
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,470 – $73,890+9.6%
22Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators$50,770
No formal educational credential
$40,820 – $62,250+9.4%
23Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians$81,110
Associate's degree
$32,060 – $105,350+8.9%
24Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians$61,500
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,980 – $77,400+8.8%
25Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers$42,620
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,780 – $58,800+8.2%
26Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$116,010
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,970 – $185,190+8.2%
27Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$68,980
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,290 – $81,690+8.0%
28Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks$48,690
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,280 – $66,750+7.6%
29First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$113,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$79,580 – $125,530+7.4%
30Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$49,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,590 – $55,820+7.4%
31Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$64,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,160 – $65,960+7.3%
32Library Technicians$47,820
Postsecondary nondegree award
$29,660 – $73,360+7.3%
33Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other$53,890
Postsecondary nondegree award
$37,770 – $76,550+7.2%
34Sewing Machine Operators$39,120
No formal educational credential
$35,510 – $47,100+6.7%
35Home Health and Personal Care Aides$38,090
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,220 – $46,220+6.4%
36Industrial Engineers$109,040
Bachelor's degree
$78,480 – $135,590+6.4%
37Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks$63,370
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,600 – $107,630+6.2%
38Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers$41,450
No formal educational credential
$29,150 – $61,280+5.9%
39Cost Estimators$82,940
Bachelor's degree
$46,690 – $123,390+5.3%
40Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$46,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,350 – $67,460+5.3%
41Packers and Packagers, Hand$38,120
No formal educational credential
$34,680 – $44,630+5.1%
42Training and Development Specialists$72,840
Bachelor's degree
$49,970 – $125,180+5.1%
43Administrative Services Managers$119,770
Bachelor's degree
$61,990 – $176,590+4.9%
44Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$56,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,220 – $64,960+4.4%
45Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$48,620
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,910 – $57,010+4.4%
46Customer Service Representatives$46,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,050 – $61,690+4.2%
47Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$49,180
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,890 – $56,950+4.2%
48Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$49,930
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,000 – $61,680+4.2%
49Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$62,250
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,660 – $91,490+4.0%
50Construction Laborers$48,800
No formal educational credential
$38,770 – $76,540+3.6%

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

#	Occupation	MedianDubuque, IA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Driver/Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,910	$23,510 – $64,040	+39.1%
2	Highway Maintenance WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,420	$53,100 – $62,920	+22.2%
3	Production Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,750	$29,270 – $59,510	+21.5%
4	Food Cooking Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,140	$37,660 – $50,140	+20.6%
5	Automotive Service Technicians and MechanicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$61,030	$37,600 – $77,770	+20.6%
6	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$77,370	$45,090 – $90,570	+19.1%
7	Agricultural Equipment OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$49,440	$33,240 – $70,200	+18.5%
8	Industrial Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$77,860	$59,720 – $86,390	+17.8%
9	Parts SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$45,060	$29,420 – $60,890	+16.6%
10	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$309,930	$202,280 – $525,310	+16.5%
11	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,130	$36,020 – $58,380	+16.2%
12	Court, Municipal, and License ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,290	$44,450 – $80,680	+15.6%
13	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$71,840	$37,510 – $160,820	+15.4%
14	Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNo formal educational credential	$45,960	$34,590 – $54,720	+14.2%
15	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$93,480	$63,470 – $143,750	+13.6%
16	Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,320	$36,540 – $56,910	+12.7%
17	Tax PreparersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,330	$33,520 – $83,540	+11.7%
18	BakersNo formal educational credential	$41,160	$22,370 – $49,180	+10.8%
19	Food Service ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,910	$46,100 – $89,240	+10.8%
20	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,640	$39,770 – $52,470	+10.2%
21	Maintenance and Repair Workers, GeneralHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,360	$37,470 – $73,890	+9.6%
22	Industrial Truck and Tractor OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$50,770	$40,820 – $62,250	+9.4%
23	Mechanical Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$81,110	$32,060 – $105,350	+8.9%
24	Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,500	$46,980 – $77,400	+8.8%
25	Merchandise Displayers and Window TrimmersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,620	$33,780 – $58,800	+8.2%
26	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$116,010	$58,970 – $185,190	+8.2%
27	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$68,980	$47,290 – $81,690	+8.0%
28	Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,690	$35,280 – $66,750	+7.6%
29	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$113,920	$79,580 – $125,530	+7.4%
30	Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,740	$38,590 – $55,820	+7.4%
31	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,420	$52,160 – $65,960	+7.3%
32	Library TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$47,820	$29,660 – $73,360	+7.3%
33	Health Technologists and Technicians, All OtherPostsecondary nondegree award	$53,890	$37,770 – $76,550	+7.2%
34	Sewing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$39,120	$35,510 – $47,100	+6.7%
35	Home Health and Personal Care AidesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,090	$32,220 – $46,220	+6.4%
36	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$109,040	$78,480 – $135,590	+6.4%
37	Production, Planning, and Expediting ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,370	$47,600 – $107,630	+6.2%
38	Landscaping and Groundskeeping WorkersNo formal educational credential	$41,450	$29,150 – $61,280	+5.9%
39	Cost EstimatorsBachelor's degree	$82,940	$46,690 – $123,390	+5.3%
40	Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,720	$31,350 – $67,460	+5.3%
41	Packers and Packagers, HandNo formal educational credential	$38,120	$34,680 – $44,630	+5.1%
42	Training and Development SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$72,840	$49,970 – $125,180	+5.1%
43	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$119,770	$61,990 – $176,590	+4.9%
44	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,100	$47,220 – $64,960	+4.4%
45	Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,620	$44,910 – $57,010	+4.4%
46	Customer Service RepresentativesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,670	$37,050 – $61,690	+4.2%
47	Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,180	$46,890 – $56,950	+4.2%
48	Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,930	$44,000 – $61,680	+4.2%
49	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,250	$48,660 – $91,490	+4.0%
50	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$48,800	$38,770 – $76,540	+3.6%

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Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Dubuque, IA

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