Construction Laborers Salary in Iowa
The median for construction laborers in Iowa is $48,490 a year, somewhat above the national $47,120 (+3%); the state ranks 25th of 51 states by median. That is about the same as the median across all occupations in Iowa ($48,540). Among neighbouring states, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri and Wisconsin pay more (up to $60,690 in Illinois) and Nebraska and South Dakota pay less (down to $45,710 in South Dakota). Iowa employs 13,780 construction laborers, 8.84 per 1,000 jobs, the 27th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.25 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 | $18.36 | $21.90 | $23.31 | $28.11 | $33.12 | $24.80 | 13,780 | 8.84 | 1.25 |
| Annual | $38,180 | $45,560 | $48,490 | $58,470 | $68,900 | $51,580 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $16.87 | $18.57 | $22.66 | $28.72 | $37.54 | $25.02 | 1,096,780 | – | – |
| Annual | $35,090 | $38,620 | $47,120 | $59,740 | $78,090 | $52,030 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 25th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 27th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.25
- Jobs per 1,000
- 8.84
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 construction laborers, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $26.14 | $54,380 | $38,040 | $78,940 | 1,320 | 7.33 | 1.04 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $24.03 | $49,980 | $40,080 | $72,370 | 3,510 | 8.69 | 1.23 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $24.01 | $49,950 | $38,180 | $72,500 | 710 | 8.47 | 1.20 |
| Ames, IA | $23.95 | $49,810 | $39,950 | $71,380 | 600 | 10.74 | 1.52 |
| Dubuque, IA | $23.46 | $48,800 | $38,770 | $76,540 | 500 | 8.55 | 1.21 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | $23.40 | $48,670 | $37,930 | $70,310 | 990 | 7.13 | 1.01 |
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $23.38 | $48,630 | $37,980 | $74,390 | 560 | 7.52 | 1.07 |
| Omaha, NE-IA | $23.22 | $48,300 | $37,360 | $62,750 | 3,990 | 8.01 | 1.14 |
| Iowa City, IA | $23.05 | $47,940 | $37,500 | $74,570 | 800 | 8.56 | 1.21 |
| Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $22.87 | $47,570 | $37,220 | $58,310 | 1,770 | 8.82 | 1.25 |
| Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $22.76 | $47,340 | $37,850 | $60,110 | 1,120 | 11.29 | 1.60 |
| Southwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $22.70 | $47,210 | $37,110 | $72,050 | 600 | 8.16 | 1.16 |
| Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $22.55 | $46,890 | $37,460 | $59,920 | 1,450 | 9.91 | 1.40 |
Neighbouring states
See the national page for Construction Laborers (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.