Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Iowa City, IA

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

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 · vs. national

1Budget Analysts$134,850
Bachelor's degree
$81,330 – $160,460+47.2%
2Library Technicians$61,300
Postsecondary nondegree award
$28,890 – $69,190+37.5%
3Medical Records Specialists$66,340
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,040 – $80,060+29.7%
4Loan Officers$98,630
Bachelor's degree
$51,500 – $161,920+28.6%
5Social Workers, All Other$90,900
Bachelor's degree
$68,490 – $115,360+26.4%
6Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other$62,690
Postsecondary nondegree award
$42,660 – $88,180+24.7%
7Agricultural Technicians$59,820
Associate's degree
$31,200 – $77,000+20.5%
8Highway Maintenance Workers$60,110
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,090 – $75,300+19.6%
9Information and Record Clerks, All Other$58,430
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,350 – $64,940+18.0%
10Court, Municipal, and License Clerks$57,320
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,480 – $72,110+17.7%
11Orthotists and Prosthetists$95,290
Master's degree
$63,790 – $103,380+17.5%
12Emergency Medical Technicians$52,210
Postsecondary nondegree award
$37,440 – $79,440+17.4%
13Dentists, General$199,410
Doctoral or professional degree
$120,250 – $252,920+16.6%
14Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health$63,690
Associate's degree
$43,130 – $81,080+15.6%
15Insurance Sales Agents$71,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,730 – $117,340+14.7%
16Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors$56,810
No formal educational credential
$39,200 – $62,570+14.3%
17Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$77,680
Master's degree
$56,920 – $101,580+13.8%
18Food Batchmakers$48,030
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,030 – $61,110+13.6%
19Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All Other$57,560
Bachelor's degree
$40,810 – $76,200+13.1%
20Computer Programmers$113,590
Bachelor's degree
$72,650 – $128,520+13.1%
21Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$66,810
Master's degree
$45,880 – $104,490+12.6%
22Agricultural Equipment Operators$46,940
No formal educational credential
$29,120 – $69,410+12.5%
23Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service$43,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$27,190 – $50,730+10.1%
24Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping$55,650
Associate's degree
$35,990 – $68,620+10.0%
25Surveying and Mapping Technicians$59,350
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,260 – $84,790+9.4%
26Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants$50,130
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,000 – $63,190+9.1%
27Paramedics$66,090
Postsecondary nondegree award
$51,720 – $78,140+9.1%
28Food Service Managers$75,150
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,170 – $98,810+8.3%
29Public Safety Telecommunicators$57,310
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,620 – $66,010+8.1%
30Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$103,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$67,690 – $111,630+8.1%
31Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians$60,950
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,890 – $78,710+7.8%
32Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$69,950
Associate's degree
$45,120 – $87,360+7.7%
33Loan Interviewers and Clerks$53,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,110 – $80,040+7.7%
34Automotive Body and Related Repairers$59,070
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,550 – $109,990+7.6%
35Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$57,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,480 – $75,420+7.5%
36Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers$37,430
No formal educational credential
$29,690 – $38,260+7.3%
37Postal Service Mail Carriers$64,890
No formal educational credential
$42,390 – $81,040+7.2%
38Soil and Plant Scientists$84,360
Bachelor's degree
$53,360 – $166,090+7.0%
39Counter and Rental Clerks$44,020
No formal educational credential
$32,970 – $62,170+6.6%
40Healthcare Support Workers, All Other$51,630
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,040 – $66,390+6.6%
41Administrative Services Managers$120,940
Bachelor's degree
$67,530 – $169,310+6.0%
42Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$63,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,810 – $76,430+5.7%
43Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers$61,960
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,640 – $126,110+5.7%
44Paralegals and Legal Assistants$66,400
Associate's degree
$48,680 – $105,010+5.6%
45Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$64,440
Postsecondary nondegree award
$44,770 – $78,810+5.6%
46Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$51,570
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,410 – $61,100+5.3%
47Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other$51,590
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,310 – $73,530+4.8%
48Construction and Building Inspectors$78,030
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,010 – $89,020+4.5%
49Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$50,430
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,780 – $72,340+4.5%
50Printing Press Operators$47,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,540 – $59,720+4.4%

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	vs. national
1	Budget AnalystsBachelor's degree	$134,850	$81,330 – $160,460	+47.2%
2	Library TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$61,300	$28,890 – $69,190	+37.5%
3	Medical Records SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$66,340	$47,040 – $80,060	+29.7%
4	Loan OfficersBachelor's degree	$98,630	$51,500 – $161,920	+28.6%
5	Social Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$90,900	$68,490 – $115,360	+26.4%
6	Health Technologists and Technicians, All OtherPostsecondary nondegree award	$62,690	$42,660 – $88,180	+24.7%
7	Agricultural TechniciansAssociate's degree	$59,820	$31,200 – $77,000	+20.5%
8	Highway Maintenance WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,110	$48,090 – $75,300	+19.6%
9	Information and Record Clerks, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,430	$44,350 – $64,940	+18.0%
10	Court, Municipal, and License ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,320	$40,480 – $72,110	+17.7%
11	Orthotists and ProsthetistsMaster's degree	$95,290	$63,790 – $103,380	+17.5%
12	Emergency Medical TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$52,210	$37,440 – $79,440	+17.4%
13	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$199,410	$120,250 – $252,920	+16.6%
14	Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including HealthAssociate's degree	$63,690	$43,130 – $81,080	+15.6%
15	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$71,440	$31,730 – $117,340	+14.7%
16	Refuse and Recyclable Material CollectorsNo formal educational credential	$56,810	$39,200 – $62,570	+14.3%
17	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$77,680	$56,920 – $101,580	+13.8%
18	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,030	$35,030 – $61,110	+13.6%
19	Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$57,560	$40,810 – $76,200	+13.1%
20	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$113,590	$72,650 – $128,520	+13.1%
21	Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health CounselorsMaster's degree	$66,810	$45,880 – $104,490	+12.6%
22	Agricultural Equipment OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$46,940	$29,120 – $69,410	+12.5%
23	Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal ServiceHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,240	$27,190 – $50,730	+10.1%
24	Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and TimekeepingAssociate's degree	$55,650	$35,990 – $68,620	+10.0%
25	Surveying and Mapping TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,350	$48,260 – $84,790	+9.4%
26	Medical Secretaries and Administrative AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,130	$39,000 – $63,190	+9.1%
27	ParamedicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$66,090	$51,720 – $78,140	+9.1%
28	Food Service ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,150	$46,170 – $98,810	+8.3%
29	Public Safety TelecommunicatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,310	$50,620 – $66,010	+8.1%
30	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$103,000	$67,690 – $111,630	+8.1%
31	Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,950	$46,890 – $78,710	+7.8%
32	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$69,950	$45,120 – $87,360	+7.7%
33	Loan Interviewers and ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,850	$41,110 – $80,040	+7.7%
34	Automotive Body and Related RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,070	$39,550 – $109,990	+7.6%
35	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,780	$46,480 – $75,420	+7.5%
36	Laundry and Dry-Cleaning WorkersNo formal educational credential	$37,430	$29,690 – $38,260	+7.3%
37	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$64,890	$42,390 – $81,040	+7.2%
38	Soil and Plant ScientistsBachelor's degree	$84,360	$53,360 – $166,090	+7.0%
39	Counter and Rental ClerksNo formal educational credential	$44,020	$32,970 – $62,170	+6.6%
40	Healthcare Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,630	$43,040 – $66,390	+6.6%
41	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$120,940	$67,530 – $169,310	+6.0%
42	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,450	$37,810 – $76,430	+5.7%
43	Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck DriversPostsecondary nondegree award	$61,960	$47,640 – $126,110	+5.7%
44	Paralegals and Legal AssistantsAssociate's degree	$66,400	$48,680 – $105,010	+5.6%
45	Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$64,440	$44,770 – $78,810	+5.6%
46	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,570	$40,410 – $61,100	+5.3%
47	Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,590	$40,310 – $73,530	+4.8%
48	Construction and Building InspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,030	$51,010 – $89,020	+4.5%
49	Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,430	$37,780 – $72,340	+4.5%
50	Printing Press OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,780	$33,540 – $59,720	+4.4%

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Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Iowa City, IA

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