Registered Nurses Pay Range in Iowa
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$63,840
- 25th Percentile — Junior$68,290
- 50th Percentile — Median$78,630
- 75th Percentile — Senior$85,940
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$100,500
Half of Registered Nurses in Iowa earn more than $78,630. The top 10% make $100,500 or more, while entry-level workers start around $63,840.
Registered Nurses in Iowa: Key Facts
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025
- Iowa ranks 48th of 51 states for Registered Nurses pay, at $80,540 per year (20.6% below the U.S. average of $101,420).
- 34,420 people work as Registered Nurses in Iowa — 1.0% of all U.S. Registered Nurses jobs.
- Location quotient 1.02: Registered Nurses jobs are more concentrated in Iowa than in the U.S. overall.
- Pay range: the lowest-paid 10% earn under $63,840; the top 10% earn over $100,500.
- Hourly equivalent: $38.72 per hour (2,080 hours/year).
- The highest-paying state is California at $150,280.
- Among healthcare jobs in Iowa, Surgeons All Other pays the most ($488,900).
Registered Nurses Job Market in Iowa
Key factors affecting compensation
Iowa's key industries are Agriculture, Manufacturing, Finance, and its job market is rated moderate. Registered Nurses here earn $80,540 on average, placing the state 48th nationally.
With a cost-of-living index of 0.86 (U.S. = 1.00), a Iowa salary of $80,540 is roughly equivalent to $93,651 at the national average cost of living.
Compared with nearby states in the pay ranking, Louisiana ($84,190), North Dakota ($83,600), Kansas ($82,360) are the closest alternatives for Registered Nurses weighing a move.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
Other Healthcare Jobs in Iowa
Related career salary benchmarks
- Surgeons All Other $488,900/yr Iowa +507.0% vs this role
- Emergency Medicine Physicians $401,640/yr Iowa +398.7% vs this role
- Dermatologists $365,140/yr Iowa +353.4% vs this role
- Radiologists $344,000/yr Iowa +327.1% vs this role
- Obstetricians and Gynecologists $311,940/yr Iowa +287.3% vs this role
- Family Medicine Physicians $279,120/yr Iowa +246.6% vs this role
- Psychiatrists $273,190/yr Iowa +239.2% vs this role
- Physicians All Other $273,160/yr Iowa +239.2% vs this role
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average Registered Nurses salary in Iowa?
The average Registered Nurses salary in Iowa is $80,540 per year (median $78,630), which is 20.6% below the national average of $101,420.
How does Iowa rank for Registered Nurses pay?
Iowa ranks 48th out of 51 states. The highest-paying state is California ($150,280/yr).
How much do entry-level Registered Nurses make in Iowa?
The lowest-paid 10% of Registered Nurses in Iowa earn about $63,840 per year and the 25th percentile is $68,290.
How much do Registered Nurses make per hour in Iowa?
About $38.72 per hour, based on the $80,540 annual average and 2,080 working hours per year.
How many Registered Nurses work in Iowa?
BLS counts 34,420 Registered Nurses jobs in Iowa (OEWS May 2025).
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