Iowa
Highest-Paying Occupations in Iowa
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025Iowa
Figures describe the state of Iowa as a whole. Occupations are ranked by published median annual wage; occupations where BLS suppressed the annual median or publishes only hourly wages are not ranked (7 such occupations here).
Top 25 of 711 occupations
| # | Occupation | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Emergency Medicine Physicians | $429,050 | $206.27 | 290 |
| 2 | Dermatologists | $424,970 | $204.31 | Not published |
| 3 | Radiologists | $405,220 | $194.82 | 130 |
| 4 | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric | $394,900 | $189.86 | 90 |
| 5 | Surgeons, All Other | $370,390 | $178.07 | 110 |
| 6 | Obstetricians and Gynecologists | $356,020 | $171.16 | 180 |
| 7 | Physicians, Pathologists | $323,460 | $155.51 | 80 |
| 8 | Psychiatrists | $295,270 | $141.96 | 170 |
| 9 | Physicians, All Other | $295,190 | $141.92 | 1,440 |
| 10 | Cardiologists | $283,070 | $136.09 | 100 |
| 11 | Nurse Anesthetists | $273,070 | $131.29 | 380 |
| 12 | Family Medicine Physicians | $265,200 | $127.50 | 1,140 |
| 13 | Pediatricians, General | $262,440 | $126.17 | 230 |
| 14 | Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons | $239,200 or more | $115.00 or more | Not published |
| 15 | Anesthesiologists | $239,200 or more | $115.00 or more | 450 |
| 16 | Chief Executives | $211,190 | $101.54 | 3,050 |
| 17 | Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric | $189,410 | $91.06 | 260 |
| 18 | Dentists, General | $181,520 | $87.27 | 1,240 |
| 19 | Physicists | $178,110 | $85.63 | 110 |
| 20 | Law Teachers, Postsecondary | $160,700 | Not published | 90 |
| 21 | Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates | $147,510 | $70.92 | 410 |
| 22 | Architectural and Engineering Managers | $147,320 | $70.83 | 1,520 |
| 23 | Computer and Information Systems Managers | $143,780 | $69.13 | 3,920 |
| 24 | Pharmacists | $138,860 | $66.76 | 3,230 |
| 25 | Psychologists, All Other | $138,420 | $66.55 | 60 |
The full list of every published occupation here is on the Iowa overview.
About this data. Estimates are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 release, retrieved from bls.gov/oes/tables.htm on July 24, 2026. OEWS estimates describe metropolitan/nonmetropolitan areas and states — not city limits — and are not designed for year-over-year comparisons. See BLS methodology, our plain-English methodology, and sources. CitySalaryData is independent and not affiliated with BLS.