Bartenders Salary in Iowa
In Iowa, bartenders earn a median $21,720 a year, well below the national median of $34,340 (−37%); the state ranks 49th of 51 states by median. That is 55% less than the median across all occupations in Iowa ($48,540). Every neighbouring state pays more: Illinois, Nebraska, Missouri, South Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin range from $23,460 in Wisconsin to $31,200 in Illinois. Iowa employs 9,560 bartenders, 6.13 per 1,000 jobs, the 27th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.26 means the occupation is more concentrated in Iowa than nationally.
Iowa vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Iowa | Hourly | $8.04 | $8.87 | $10.44 | $13.66 | $19.00 | $12.32 | 9,560 | 6.13 | 1.26 |
| Annual | $16,730 | $18,460 | $21,720 | $28,400 | $39,520 | $25,620 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $9.67 | $13.17 | $16.51 | $22.87 | $35.47 | $19.61 | 756,390 | – | – |
| Annual | $20,110 | $27,400 | $34,340 | $47,570 | $73,770 | $40,790 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 49th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 27th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.26
- Jobs per 1,000
- 6.13
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Iowa's employment divided by its national share; 1.00 means the same share as the nation. Take-home pay at these wages: FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Metropolitan areas in Iowa
9 metropolitan areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas touching Iowa publish a row for bartenders, sorted by median. Areas crossing a state line are listed under every state they touch; a linked metro has its own profile.
| Area | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Omaha, NE-IA | $16.65 | $34,630 | $28,080 | $62,850 | 3,790 | 7.62 | 1.57 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $15.00 | $31,200 | $17,720 | $42,860 | 1,470 | 8.13 | 1.67 |
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $11.42 | $23,750 | $16,430 | $45,010 | 430 | 5.69 | 1.17 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $10.74 | $22,340 | $17,250 | $45,880 | 2,200 | 5.46 | 1.12 |
| Iowa City, IA | $10.53 | $21,900 | $15,980 | $44,720 | 790 | 8.42 | 1.73 |
| Dubuque, IA | $10.44 | $21,720 | $16,690 | $35,850 | 460 | 7.91 | 1.63 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | $10.38 | $21,600 | $17,190 | $41,990 | 790 | 5.69 | 1.17 |
| Ames, IA | $10.38 | $21,580 | $17,260 | $38,780 | 450 | 8.02 | 1.65 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $10.36 | $21,540 | $16,390 | $38,130 | 540 | 6.42 | 1.32 |
| Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $10.25 | $21,320 | $16,660 | $34,280 | 880 | 6.00 | 1.23 |
| Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $10.18 | $21,170 | $16,660 | $34,670 | 1,110 | 5.54 | 1.14 |
| Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $10.17 | $21,150 | $16,960 | $31,760 | 630 | 6.32 | 1.30 |
| Southwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $10.00 | $20,810 | $16,660 | $30,310 | 340 | 4.63 | 0.95 |
Neighbouring states
See the national page for Bartenders (every state ranked) and the Iowa wage profile (every occupation in the state).
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS Iowa estimates.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.