Ranking · original analysis of BLS and O*NET data
Highest-paying jobs in Iowa
The 40 best-paid occupations in Iowa with at least 100 people employed, by state median wage.
Quick answer
The highest-paying occupation in Iowa with at least 100 people employed was Emergency Medicine Physician, with a state median of $429,050 (BLS May 2025).
The ranking
40 occupations
Data Every figure is from BLS OEWS May 2025 or O*NET 31.0; the selection rule is below.
| # | Occupation | Median pay in Iowa | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Emergency Medicine Physician | $429,050 | 290 |
| 2 | Radiologist | $405,220 | 130 |
| 3 | Surgeons, All Other | $370,390 | 110 |
| 4 | OB-GYN | $356,020 | 180 |
| 5 | Psychiatrist | $295,270 | 170 |
| 6 | Physicians, All Other | $295,190 | 1,440 |
| 7 | Cardiologist | $283,070 | 100 |
| 8 | CRNA | $273,070 | 380 |
| 9 | Family Medicine Physician | $265,200 | 1,140 |
| 10 | Pediatrician | $262,440 | 230 |
| 11 | CEO | $211,190 | 3,050 |
| 12 | Orthopedic Surgeon | $189,410 | 260 |
| 13 | Dentist | $181,520 | 1,240 |
| 14 | Physicist | $178,110 | 110 |
| 15 | Judge | $147,510 | 410 |
| 16 | Architectural and Engineering Managers | $147,320 | 1,520 |
| 17 | IT Manager | $143,780 | 3,920 |
| 18 | Pharmacist | $138,860 | 3,230 |
| 19 | Podiatrist | $134,830 | 100 |
| 20 | Physician Assistant | $134,770 | 1,200 |
| 21 | Sales Manager | $134,010 | 3,260 |
| 22 | Financial Manager | $133,320 | 9,130 |
| 23 | Airline Pilot | $131,730 | 100 |
| 24 | Marketing Manager | $131,120 | 2,210 |
| 25 | Nurse Practitioner | $130,160 | 3,240 |
| 26 | Actuary | $128,690 | 530 |
| 27 | Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | $128,490 | 3,230 |
| 28 | Managers, All Other | $128,080 | 3,600 |
| 29 | HR Manager | $126,370 | 1,620 |
| 30 | Optometrist | $125,380 | 450 |
| 31 | Computer Hardware Engineer | $125,120 | 130 |
| 32 | Veterinarian | $124,610 | 1,000 |
| 33 | Database Architect | $124,040 | 240 |
| 34 | Lawyer | $123,550 | 3,550 |
| 35 | General Internal Medicine Physicians | $122,920 | 380 |
| 36 | Purchasing Manager | $121,580 | 610 |
| 37 | Public Relations Manager | $120,730 | 630 |
| 38 | Cyber Security Analyst | $119,710 | 1,160 |
| 39 | Compensation and Benefits Managers | $118,250 | 120 |
| 40 | Administrative Services Managers | $116,920 | 1,380 |
Method
How this page is built
BLS OEWS state estimates for Iowa, May 2025: occupations with at least 100 people employed and a published median, ranked by median annual wage.
What this page can't tell you
Sources- Pay at a specific employer or for self-employed workers.
- Openings in your area: these are national figures.
- Whether a job suits you personally.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates (public domain).
- O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. TryHired selected, ranked and combined the data; O*NET is not responsible for these pages.