Registered Nurses Salary in Iowa
In Iowa, registered nurses earn a median $78,630 a year, well below the national median of $97,550 (−19%); the state ranks 48th of 51 states by median. Registered Nurses earn 62% more than the median across all occupations in Iowa ($48,540). Among neighbouring states, Minnesota, Illinois, Wisconsin, Nebraska and Missouri pay more (up to $101,510 in Minnesota) and South Dakota pays less (down to $78,060 in South Dakota). Iowa employs 34,420 registered nurses, 22.1 per 1,000 jobs, the 30th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.02 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 | $30.69 | $32.83 | $37.80 | $41.32 | $48.32 | $38.72 | 34,420 | 22.08 | 1.02 |
| Annual | $63,840 | $68,290 | $78,630 | $85,940 | $100,500 | $80,540 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $33.14 | $38.62 | $46.90 | $54.02 | $66.09 | $48.76 | 3,379,720 | – | – |
| Annual | $68,940 | $80,330 | $97,550 | $112,350 | $137,470 | $101,420 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 48th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 30th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.02
- Jobs per 1,000
- 22.08
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 registered nurses, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa City, IA | $41.32 | $85,940 | $70,290 | $106,150 | 4,090 | 43.57 | 2.00 |
| Omaha, NE-IA | $40.67 | $84,600 | $69,070 | $112,940 | 13,200 | 26.50 | 1.22 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $37.80 | $78,630 | $64,680 | $100,500 | 8,130 | 20.13 | 0.93 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | $37.68 | $78,370 | $61,940 | $102,250 | 2,880 | 20.67 | 0.95 |
| Ames, IA | $37.09 | $77,160 | $64,360 | $99,440 | 1,070 | 19.11 | 0.88 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $37.09 | $77,150 | $63,650 | $98,610 | 3,520 | 19.51 | 0.90 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $36.98 | $76,920 | $63,100 | $97,310 | 1,890 | 22.46 | 1.03 |
| Dubuque, IA | $36.92 | $76,790 | $65,700 | $96,570 | 1,280 | 21.82 | 1.00 |
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $36.46 | $75,840 | $62,270 | $96,440 | 1,600 | 21.31 | 0.98 |
| Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $38.20 | $79,460 | $63,910 | $98,710 | 3,190 | 21.84 | 1.00 |
| Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $38.11 | $79,280 | $63,410 | $98,470 | 3,490 | 17.43 | 0.80 |
| Southwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $37.96 | $78,960 | $63,830 | $101,290 | 1,890 | 25.85 | 1.19 |
| Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $37.31 | $77,600 | $61,180 | $97,110 | 2,250 | 22.61 | 1.04 |
Neighbouring states
See the national page for Registered Nurses (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.