Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators Salary in Iowa
The median for industrial truck and tractor operators in Iowa is $47,590 a year, somewhat above the national $46,420 (+3%); the state ranks 24th of 51 states by median. That is about the same as the median across all occupations in Iowa ($48,540). Among neighbouring states, Minnesota, Illinois and Wisconsin pay more (up to $49,740 in Minnesota) and South Dakota, Nebraska and Missouri pay less (down to $45,190 in Missouri). Iowa employs 7,770 industrial truck and tractor operators, 4.98 per 1,000 jobs, the 29th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.00 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 | $18.58 | $20.90 | $22.88 | $25.46 | $29.33 | $23.50 | 7,770 | 4.98 | 1.00 |
| Annual | $38,640 | $43,460 | $47,590 | $52,950 | $61,000 | $48,870 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $17.71 | $19.24 | $22.32 | $26.33 | $30.06 | $23.25 | 774,420 | – | – |
| Annual | $36,840 | $40,030 | $46,420 | $54,770 | $62,520 | $48,370 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 24th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 29th of 50 states
- Location quotient
- 1.00
- Jobs per 1,000
- 4.98
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 industrial truck and tractor operators, 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 | $24.93 | $51,850 | $37,780 | $59,290 | 850 | 4.70 | 0.94 |
| Dubuque, IA | $24.41 | $50,770 | $40,820 | $62,250 | 230 | 3.89 | 0.78 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $23.60 | $49,080 | $39,350 | $58,520 | 1,400 | 3.47 | 0.70 |
| Ames, IA | $23.23 | $48,310 | $38,560 | $54,540 | 110 | 2.01 | 0.40 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | $22.86 | $47,560 | $38,370 | $63,450 | 530 | 3.79 | 0.76 |
| Iowa City, IA | $22.44 | $46,670 | $37,660 | $60,410 | 130 | 1.44 | 0.29 |
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $21.86 | $45,470 | $38,990 | $52,490 | 530 | 7.04 | 1.41 |
| Omaha, NE-IA | $21.69 | $45,120 | $37,270 | $57,730 | 2,010 | 4.04 | 0.81 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $20.99 | $43,670 | $36,970 | $56,310 | 480 | 5.70 | 1.14 |
| Southwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $23.81 | $49,530 | $39,940 | $62,460 | 510 | 6.95 | 1.40 |
| Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $23.18 | $48,220 | $38,610 | $56,690 | 1,900 | 9.49 | 1.91 |
| Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $23.05 | $47,950 | $38,780 | $75,220 | 890 | 6.09 | 1.22 |
| Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $22.61 | $47,020 | $37,780 | $61,060 | 510 | 5.16 | 1.04 |
Neighbouring states
See the national page for Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators (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.