Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education Salary in Iowa
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education in Iowa have a median of $60,580 a year, below the national $63,970 (−5%); the state ranks 36th of 51 states by median. Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education earn 25% more than the median across all occupations in Iowa ($48,540). Among neighbouring states, Minnesota, Illinois, Nebraska and Wisconsin pay more (up to $76,350 in Minnesota) and Missouri and South Dakota pay less (down to $50,130 in South Dakota). Iowa employs 17,300 elementary school teachers, except special education, 11.1 per 1,000 jobs, the 28th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.24 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 | * | * | * | * | * | * | 17,300 | 11.09 | 1.24 |
| Annual | $47,260 | $48,620 | $60,580 | $64,210 | $77,400 | $59,110 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,388,390 | – | – |
| Annual | $47,960 | $57,710 | $63,970 | $81,450 | $104,340 | $72,650 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 36th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 28th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.24
- Jobs per 1,000
- 11.09
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 elementary school teachers, except special education, 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 | * | $62,670 | $47,350 | $79,070 | 4,030 | 8.10 | 0.91 |
| Ames, IA | * | $62,430 | $48,830 | $80,340 | 440 | 7.88 | 0.88 |
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | * | $62,270 | $46,820 | $78,900 | 890 | 11.88 | 1.33 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | * | $61,650 | $47,010 | $79,840 | 1,760 | 9.76 | 1.09 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | * | $61,650 | $46,090 | $79,610 | 3,640 | 9.00 | 1.01 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | * | $61,430 | $47,520 | $79,320 | 980 | 7.03 | 0.79 |
| Iowa City, IA | * | $60,870 | $47,630 | $78,390 | 760 | 8.07 | 0.90 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | * | $60,780 | $47,220 | $77,500 | 890 | 10.55 | 1.18 |
| Dubuque, IA | * | $57,840 | $44,230 | $77,840 | 560 | 9.63 | 1.08 |
| Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | * | $60,510 | $46,920 | $76,400 | 2,030 | 13.90 | 1.56 |
| Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | * | $60,220 | $47,880 | $74,770 | 1,570 | 15.79 | 1.77 |
| Southwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | * | $60,090 | $47,250 | $74,370 | 1,210 | 16.50 | 1.85 |
| Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | * | $49,980 | $47,440 | $74,820 | 3,130 | 15.60 | 1.75 |
Neighbouring states
See the national page for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education (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.
*- Wage estimate not available.
- 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.