Lawyers Pay Range in Iowa
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$63,790
- 25th Percentile — Junior$81,860
- 50th Percentile — Median$123,550
- 75th Percentile — Senior$179,610
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$268,460
Half of Lawyers in Iowa earn more than $123,550. The top 10% make $268,460 or more, while entry-level workers start around $63,790.
Lawyers in Iowa: Key Facts
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025
- Iowa ranks 34th of 51 states for Lawyers pay, at $144,760 per year (22.1% below the U.S. average of $185,840).
- 3,550 people work as Lawyers in Iowa — 0.5% of all U.S. Lawyers jobs.
- Location quotient 0.47: Lawyers jobs are less concentrated in Iowa than in the U.S. overall.
- Pay range: the lowest-paid 10% earn under $63,790; the top 10% earn over $268,460.
- Hourly equivalent: $69.6 per hour (2,080 hours/year).
- The highest-paying state is District of Columbia at $242,800.
- Among legal jobs in Iowa, Administrative Law Judges pays the most ($121,720).
Lawyers Job Market in Iowa
Key factors affecting compensation
Iowa's key industries are Agriculture, Manufacturing, Finance, and its job market is rated moderate. Lawyers here earn $144,760 on average, placing the state 34th nationally.
With a cost-of-living index of 0.86 (U.S. = 1.00), a Iowa salary of $144,760 is roughly equivalent to $168,326 at the national average cost of living.
Compared with nearby states in the pay ranking, Oregon ($156,620), Ohio ($151,140), Michigan ($148,820) are the closest alternatives for Lawyers weighing a move.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
Other Legal Jobs in Iowa
Related career salary benchmarks
- Administrative Law Judges $121,720/yr Iowa 15.9% vs this role
- Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners $89,730/yr Iowa 38.0% vs this role
- Judicial Law Clerks $69,700/yr Iowa 51.9% vs this role
- Paralegals and Legal Assistants $58,780/yr Iowa 59.4% vs this role
- Title Examiners Abstractors and Searchers $45,540/yr Iowa 68.5% vs this role
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average Lawyers salary in Iowa?
The average Lawyers salary in Iowa is $144,760 per year (median $123,550), which is 22.1% below the national average of $185,840.
How does Iowa rank for Lawyers pay?
Iowa ranks 34th out of 51 states. The highest-paying state is District of Columbia ($242,800/yr).
How much do entry-level Lawyers make in Iowa?
The lowest-paid 10% of Lawyers in Iowa earn about $63,790 per year and the 25th percentile is $81,860.
How much do Lawyers make per hour in Iowa?
About $69.6 per hour, based on the $144,760 annual average and 2,080 working hours per year.
How many Lawyers work in Iowa?
BLS counts 3,550 Lawyers jobs in Iowa (OEWS May 2025).
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