Iowa · SOC 17-2051
Civil Engineer Salary in Iowa
VerifiedPublished wages for civil engineers in Iowa, straight from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2024 release — the full percentile distribution, employment concentration, and metro detail.
Civil Engineers in Iowa earn a median of $94,500 per year ($96,450 mean), per BLS OEWS May 2024. The middle 50% earn $76,170–$112,030; the top 10% earn $134,230. That is 5% below the national median of $99,590, ranking Iowa #35 of 50 states that publish this occupation.
Median wage
Verified$94,500
-5% vs national
Top 10% earn
$134,230
90th percentile
Employed in state
2,560
Reliability Good (5.7% RSE)
Civil Engineer pay distribution — Iowa vs national
Every figure below is a published BLS percentile. Bars share one scale, so the two distributions compare directly.
| Percentile | Annual wage | vs national |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentileentry / low | $63,860 | -3% |
| 25th percentile | $76,170 | -3% |
| Median50th percentile | $94,500 | -5% |
| 75th percentile | $112,030 | -13% |
| 90th percentiletop earners | $134,230 | -17% |
| Meanaverage | $96,450 | -10% |
Where civil engineers earn most in Iowa
Metro areas in Iowa where BLS publishes a wage for SOC 17-2051. Metros BLS withholds are not listed.
| Metro area | Median | Top 10% | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| OmahaOmaha, NE-IA | $103,510 | $135,160 | 1,160 |
| Sioux CitySioux City, IA-NE-SD | $103,260 | $136,660 | 90 |
| AmesAmes, IA | $101,290 | $123,100 | 270 |
| Des MoinesDes Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $96,440 | $134,920 | 780 |
| DavenportDavenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $95,220 | $136,550 | 450 |
| WaterlooWaterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $94,690 | $121,040 | 100 |
| Cedar RapidsCedar Rapids, IA | $92,460 | $138,980 | 310 |
| Iowa CityIowa City, IA | $89,730 | $134,500 | 140 |
| DubuqueDubuque, IA | $88,680 | $128,020 | 120 |
Iowa engineering labor market
Concentration and pay level across all engineering occupations BLS publishes for this state.
Location quotient
0.71
Jobs per 1,000
1.64
State rank (pay)
#35 of 50
All engineering roles
$103,087
A location quotient of 0.71 means civil engineers are less concentrated here than the national average, so openings are thinner even where pay is competitive.
Frequently asked questions
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Source details
Published wage from BLS OEWS May 2024 for SOC 17-2051 (Civil Engineers), Iowa (state).
Benchmarks come from published government wage data via BLS OEWS. Local and emerging-role figures are labeled estimates. Full methodology →