Human Resources Specialists Salary in Iowa
Human Resources Specialists in Iowa have a median of $66,710 a year, below the national $75,940 (−12%); the state ranks 40th of 51 states by median. Human Resources Specialists earn 37% more than the median across all occupations in Iowa ($48,540). Among neighbouring states, Minnesota, Illinois, Wisconsin, South Dakota and Missouri pay more (up to $78,760 in Minnesota) and Nebraska pays less (down to $61,930 in Nebraska). Iowa employs 7,930 human resources specialists, 5.09 per 1,000 jobs, the 30th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.87 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 | $21.83 | $25.91 | $32.07 | $41.24 | $53.19 | $35.51 | 7,930 | 5.09 | 0.87 |
| Annual | $45,400 | $53,890 | $66,710 | $85,770 | $110,640 | $73,850 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $22.69 | $28.18 | $36.51 | $47.78 | $61.89 | $39.42 | 912,430 | – | – |
| Annual | $47,180 | $58,610 | $75,940 | $99,380 | $128,720 | $81,990 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 40th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 30th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.87
- Jobs per 1,000
- 5.09
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 human resources specialists, 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 | $38.30 | $79,670 | $49,920 | $124,900 | 1,420 | 7.89 | 1.34 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $34.42 | $71,600 | $46,940 | $120,470 | 2,450 | 6.07 | 1.03 |
| Iowa City, IA | $34.19 | $71,120 | $48,850 | $111,550 | 480 | 5.15 | 0.88 |
| Ames, IA | $33.68 | $70,060 | $48,610 | $106,020 | 260 | 4.63 | 0.79 |
| Dubuque, IA | $30.96 | $64,390 | $42,850 | $106,090 | 380 | 6.50 | 1.11 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | $30.32 | $63,070 | $43,160 | $99,410 | 670 | 4.83 | 0.82 |
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $30.31 | $63,040 | $45,900 | $99,990 | 280 | 3.69 | 0.63 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $29.76 | $61,900 | $39,770 | $99,810 | 360 | 4.30 | 0.73 |
| Omaha, NE-IA | $29.73 | $61,840 | $42,120 | $100,040 | 4,330 | 8.69 | 1.48 |
| Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $31.49 | $65,490 | $45,480 | $115,900 | 930 | 4.65 | 0.79 |
| Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $30.41 | $63,250 | $42,420 | $117,050 | 590 | 4.01 | 0.68 |
| Southwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $30.32 | $63,060 | $45,840 | $99,340 | 300 | 4.15 | 0.71 |
| Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $30.22 | $62,850 | $41,590 | $106,480 | 460 | 4.65 | 0.79 |
Neighbouring states
See the national page for Human Resources Specialists (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.