Carpenters Salary in Iowa
Carpenters in Iowa have a median of $57,710 a year, below the national $60,580 (−5%); the state ranks 31st of 51 states by median. Carpenters earn 19% more than the median across all occupations in Iowa ($48,540). Among neighbouring states, Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Missouri pay more (up to $79,000 in Illinois) and Nebraska and South Dakota pay less (down to $48,140 in South Dakota). Iowa employs 5,770 carpenters, 3.70 per 1,000 jobs, the 30th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.86 is close to the national share.
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 | $18.77 | $22.91 | $27.75 | $31.69 | $36.80 | $27.71 | 5,770 | 3.70 | 0.86 |
| Annual | $39,040 | $47,640 | $57,710 | $65,910 | $76,540 | $57,640 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $19.43 | $23.32 | $29.12 | $36.94 | $48.03 | $31.55 | 670,090 | – | – |
| Annual | $40,410 | $48,510 | $60,580 | $76,830 | $99,910 | $65,630 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 31st of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 30th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.86
- Jobs per 1,000
- 3.70
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 carpenters, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $29.50 | $61,360 | $44,560 | $76,670 | 1,810 | 4.48 | 1.04 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $29.06 | $60,440 | $39,520 | $91,550 | 670 | 3.70 | 0.86 |
| Dubuque, IA | $28.89 | $60,090 | $39,920 | $77,920 | 260 | 4.46 | 1.03 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | $28.33 | $58,920 | $42,220 | $73,390 | 530 | 3.78 | 0.88 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $26.85 | $55,840 | $38,870 | $78,980 | 260 | 3.09 | 0.72 |
| Ames, IA | $26.75 | $55,640 | $39,110 | $66,090 | 210 | 3.76 | 0.87 |
| Omaha, NE-IA | $25.39 | $52,800 | $40,420 | $74,090 | 3,230 | 6.48 | 1.50 |
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $24.57 | $51,100 | $35,730 | $71,740 | 350 | 4.63 | 1.08 |
| Iowa City, IA | $23.89 | $49,680 | $37,060 | $71,880 | 360 | 3.83 | 0.89 |
| Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $25.00 | $52,000 | $37,510 | $74,630 | 290 | 2.88 | 0.67 |
| Southwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $24.92 | $51,820 | $34,400 | $72,540 | 200 | 2.78 | 0.65 |
| Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $24.65 | $51,280 | $37,910 | $73,800 | 490 | 2.43 | 0.56 |
| Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $23.00 | $47,830 | $35,990 | $74,200 | 530 | 3.62 | 0.84 |
Neighbouring states
See the national page for Carpenters (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.