Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Sioux City, IA-NE-SD

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

Cost of living: prices in Sioux City, IA-NE-SD run 13.5% below the national average (2024), so a Sioux City, IA-NE-SD salary is worth about 1.16× 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 Sioux City, IA-NE-SD

OccupationMedian, Sioux City, IA-NE-SD · vs. national

1Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals$48,870
No formal educational credential
$30,360 – $50,540+33.3%
2Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers$47,580
No formal educational credential
$43,730 – $47,580+24.2%
3Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders$51,600
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,270 – $57,390+24.1%
4Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment$44,440
No formal educational credential
$30,320 – $47,130+24.0%
5Slaughterers and Meat Packers$49,600
No formal educational credential
$44,680 – $49,600+23.6%
6Parts Salespersons$47,080
No formal educational credential
$30,710 – $62,720+21.9%
7Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$58,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,330 – $63,280+20.9%
8Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs$64,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,240 – $68,390+19.9%
9Agricultural Equipment Operators$49,990
No formal educational credential
$35,530 – $69,960+19.8%
10Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders$52,650
No formal educational credential
$23,700 – $63,340+17.5%
11Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine Repairers$56,170
Some college, no degree
$28,700 – $73,520+17.5%
12Electricians$73,910
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,600 – $84,930+17.0%
13Food Processing Workers, All Other$46,350
No formal educational credential
$41,740 – $46,400+16.8%
14Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$54,980
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,470 – $62,400+16.5%
15Maintenance and Repair Workers, General$57,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,110 – $66,840+15.9%
16Highway Maintenance Workers$57,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,560 – $62,580+14.9%
17Helpers--Production Workers$44,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,170 – $49,230+13.1%
18Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$51,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,260 – $57,530+12.9%
19Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$54,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,570 – $63,800+12.8%
20Physicians, All Other$300,040
Doctoral or professional degree
$83,360 – $445,830+12.8%
21Property Appraisers and Assessors$76,480
Bachelor's degree
$36,960 – $127,410+12.5%
22Dentists, General$191,280
Doctoral or professional degree
$105,460 – $275,800+11.9%
23Substitute Teachers, Short-Term$46,530
Bachelor's degree
$30,080 – $59,060+11.7%
24First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$82,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$55,810 – $102,950+10.4%
25Conveyor Operators and Tenders$46,770
No formal educational credential
$44,770 – $63,440+10.3%
26Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$56,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,780 – $63,680+10.2%
27Special Education Teachers, Middle School$73,110
Bachelor's degree
$44,910 – $89,200+9.4%
28Sheet Metal Workers$67,350
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,480 – $80,370+9.0%
29Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$71,430
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,220 – $90,910+9.0%
30Food Batchmakers$46,010
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,900 – $62,270+8.8%
31Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$58,230
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,270 – $72,800+8.3%
32Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$53,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,560 – $65,170+8.2%
33Data Entry Keyers$44,550
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,260 – $57,250+7.8%
34Machine Feeders and Offbearers$44,410
No formal educational credential
$37,460 – $46,080+7.7%
35Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$102,340
High school diploma or equivalent
$78,900 – $115,010+7.4%
36Pest Control Workers$48,500
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,580 – $63,910+7.2%
37Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$51,320
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,790 – $60,250+7.1%
38Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics$54,230
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,980 – $75,420+7.1%
39Industrial Machinery Mechanics$68,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,510 – $88,970+6.9%
40Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks$48,270
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,620 – $79,100+6.7%
41Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners$53,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,260 – $82,970+6.6%
42Loan Officers$81,780
Bachelor's degree
$56,240 – $137,420+6.6%
43Butchers and Meat Cutters$42,740
No formal educational credential
$30,670 – $46,830+6.5%
44Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$82,880
High school diploma or equivalent
$61,110 – $115,610+6.3%
45Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$42,790
No formal educational credential
$30,450 – $50,960+6.3%
46Massage Therapists$61,890
Postsecondary nondegree award
$44,760 – $64,250+5.9%
47Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$68,440
Associate's degree
$48,980 – $90,570+5.4%
48Postal Service Clerks$65,370
No formal educational credential
$42,600 – $75,030+5.2%
49Bill and Account Collectors$49,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,110 – $60,040+5.1%
50First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers$83,700
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,510 – $119,490+4.8%

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

#	Occupation	MedianSioux City, IA-NE-SD	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural AnimalsNo formal educational credential	$48,870	$30,360 – $50,540	+33.3%
2	Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and TrimmersNo formal educational credential	$47,580	$43,730 – $47,580	+24.2%
3	Food Cooking Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,600	$39,270 – $57,390	+24.1%
4	Cleaners of Vehicles and EquipmentNo formal educational credential	$44,440	$30,320 – $47,130	+24.0%
5	Slaughterers and Meat PackersNo formal educational credential	$49,600	$44,680 – $49,600	+23.6%
6	Parts SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$47,080	$30,710 – $62,720	+21.9%
7	Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,670	$48,330 – $63,280	+20.9%
8	Eligibility Interviewers, Government ProgramsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,990	$43,240 – $68,390	+19.9%
9	Agricultural Equipment OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$49,990	$35,530 – $69,960	+19.8%
10	Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and TendersNo formal educational credential	$52,650	$23,700 – $63,340	+17.5%
11	Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine RepairersSome college, no degree	$56,170	$28,700 – $73,520	+17.5%
12	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,910	$46,600 – $84,930	+17.0%
13	Food Processing Workers, All OtherNo formal educational credential	$46,350	$41,740 – $46,400	+16.8%
14	Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,980	$36,470 – $62,400	+16.5%
15	Maintenance and Repair Workers, GeneralHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,470	$39,110 – $66,840	+15.9%
16	Highway Maintenance WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,760	$40,560 – $62,580	+14.9%
17	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,170	$44,170 – $49,230	+13.1%
18	Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,670	$39,260 – $57,530	+12.9%
19	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,800	$43,570 – $63,800	+12.8%
20	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$300,040	$83,360 – $445,830	+12.8%
21	Property Appraisers and AssessorsBachelor's degree	$76,480	$36,960 – $127,410	+12.5%
22	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$191,280	$105,460 – $275,800	+11.9%
23	Substitute Teachers, Short-TermBachelor's degree	$46,530	$30,080 – $59,060	+11.7%
24	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,170	$55,810 – $102,950	+10.4%
25	Conveyor Operators and TendersNo formal educational credential	$46,770	$44,770 – $63,440	+10.3%
26	Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,850	$43,780 – $63,680	+10.2%
27	Special Education Teachers, Middle SchoolBachelor's degree	$73,110	$44,910 – $89,200	+9.4%
28	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$67,350	$44,480 – $80,370	+9.0%
29	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$71,430	$51,220 – $90,910	+9.0%
30	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,010	$35,900 – $62,270	+8.8%
31	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,230	$39,270 – $72,800	+8.3%
32	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,000	$41,560 – $65,170	+8.2%
33	Data Entry KeyersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,550	$35,260 – $57,250	+7.8%
34	Machine Feeders and OffbearersNo formal educational credential	$44,410	$37,460 – $46,080	+7.7%
35	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$102,340	$78,900 – $115,010	+7.4%
36	Pest Control WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,500	$36,580 – $63,910	+7.2%
37	Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,320	$49,790 – $60,250	+7.1%
38	Automotive Service Technicians and MechanicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$54,230	$36,980 – $75,420	+7.1%
39	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$68,940	$48,510 – $88,970	+6.9%
40	Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,270	$36,620 – $79,100	+6.7%
41	Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe CleanersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,190	$46,260 – $82,970	+6.6%
42	Loan OfficersBachelor's degree	$81,780	$56,240 – $137,420	+6.6%
43	Butchers and Meat CuttersNo formal educational credential	$42,740	$30,670 – $46,830	+6.5%
44	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,880	$61,110 – $115,610	+6.3%
45	Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNo formal educational credential	$42,790	$30,450 – $50,960	+6.3%
46	Massage TherapistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$61,890	$44,760 – $64,250	+5.9%
47	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$68,440	$48,980 – $90,570	+5.4%
48	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$65,370	$42,600 – $75,030	+5.2%
49	Bill and Account CollectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,440	$35,110 – $60,040	+5.1%
50	First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$83,700	$50,510 – $119,490	+4.8%

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

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Sioux City, IA-NE-SD

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