Iowa · SOC 15-1252
Software Engineer Salary in Iowa
VerifiedPublished wages for software engineers in Iowa, straight from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2024 release — the full percentile distribution, employment concentration, and metro detail.
Software Engineers in Iowa earn a median of $109,850 per year ($116,000 mean), per BLS OEWS May 2024. The middle 50% earn $89,300–$134,260; the top 10% earn $169,200. That is 17% below the national median of $133,080, ranking Iowa #35 of 51 states that publish this occupation.
Median wage
Verified$109,850
-17% vs national
Top 10% earn
$169,200
90th percentile
Employed in state
9,840
Reliability High (4.1% RSE)
Software 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 | $70,650 | -12% |
| 25th percentile | $89,300 | -13% |
| Median50th percentile | $109,850 | -17% |
| 75th percentile | $134,260 | -21% |
| 90th percentiletop earners | $169,200 | -20% |
| Meanaverage | $116,000 | -20% |
Where software engineers earn most in Iowa
Metro areas in Iowa where BLS publishes a wage for SOC 15-1252. Metros BLS withholds are not listed.
| Metro area | Median | Top 10% | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| AmesAmes, IA | $127,040 | $180,560 | 440 |
| Des MoinesDes Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $124,630 | $170,040 | 4,750 |
| OmahaOmaha, NE-IA | $116,820 | $159,830 | 4,410 |
| DavenportDavenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $110,070 | $157,290 | 1,160 |
| Cedar RapidsCedar Rapids, IA | $108,490 | $166,890 | 1,270 |
| Iowa CityIowa City, IA | $104,950 | $166,930 | 750 |
| WaterlooWaterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $102,510 | $165,590 | 270 |
| Sioux CitySioux City, IA-NE-SD | $101,210 | $152,050 | 260 |
| DubuqueDubuque, IA | $101,110 | $161,620 | 420 |
Iowa engineering labor market
Concentration and pay level across all engineering occupations BLS publishes for this state.
Location quotient
0.59
Jobs per 1,000
6.30
State rank (pay)
#35 of 51
All engineering roles
$103,087
A location quotient of 0.59 means software 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 15-1252 (Software Developers), Iowa (state).
Benchmarks come from published government wage data via BLS OEWS. Local and emerging-role figures are labeled estimates. Full methodology →