Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education Salary in Iowa
In Iowa, secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education earn a median $61,200 a year, well below the national median of $72,040 (−15%); the state ranks 39th of 51 states by median. Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education earn 26% more than the median across all occupations in Iowa ($48,540). Among neighbouring states, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska and Wisconsin pay more (up to $79,990 in Illinois) and Missouri and South Dakota pay less (down to $51,050 in South Dakota). Iowa employs 12,310 secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education, 7.90 per 1,000 jobs, the 30th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.15 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 | * | * | * | * | * | * | 12,310 | 7.90 | 1.15 |
| Annual | $47,480 | $49,390 | $61,200 | $73,970 | $79,270 | $61,860 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,065,210 | – | – |
| Annual | $48,780 | $59,980 | $72,040 | $92,570 | $107,600 | $76,320 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 39th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 30th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.15
- Jobs per 1,000
- 7.90
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 secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical 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 | * | $63,900 | $47,610 | $78,760 | 3,540 | 7.12 | 1.04 |
| Ames, IA | * | $63,450 | $48,450 | $81,930 | 310 | 5.61 | 0.82 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | * | $62,480 | $47,870 | $82,100 | 2,660 | 6.58 | 0.96 |
| Iowa City, IA | * | $62,100 | $47,760 | $93,410 | 590 | 6.31 | 0.92 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | * | $61,960 | $46,870 | $99,970 | 1,170 | 6.50 | 0.95 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | * | $61,780 | $47,640 | $82,040 | 1,280 | 9.18 | 1.34 |
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | * | $60,510 | $47,490 | $77,630 | 460 | 6.12 | 0.89 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | * | $60,440 | $47,520 | $77,800 | 660 | 7.85 | 1.15 |
| Dubuque, IA | * | $60,200 | $47,830 | $76,740 | 350 | 5.91 | 0.86 |
| Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | * | $61,030 | $41,220 | $76,430 | 1,060 | 10.68 | 1.56 |
| Southwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | * | $60,560 | $47,900 | $75,970 | 850 | 11.59 | 1.69 |
| Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | * | $60,010 | $47,370 | $74,680 | 1,670 | 8.31 | 1.21 |
| Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | * | $59,810 | $43,050 | $75,700 | 1,410 | 9.67 | 1.41 |
Neighbouring states
See the national page for Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical 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.