SOC 51-3093 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders — Iowa
Iowa · 4 metro areas compared
Median pay for this occupation in Iowa comes to $47,900 a year, ahead of the national median of $41,590 by 15.2%.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
Median pay for this occupation in Iowa comes to $47,900 a year, ahead of the national median of $41,590 by 15.2%. The middle half of workers in this occupation earn between $46,380 and $49,880. The lowest tenth earn under $43,410, while the highest tenth earn more than $52,020.
The area has 850 jobs in this occupation, giving a location quotient of 2.72 — a measure of how concentrated the occupation is here relative to the country as a whole. Among the 41 states with published data for this occupation, Iowa ranks 4th by median wage. Cedar Rapids leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $63,690. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 490th of 711 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $43,410 | +4.4% |
| 25th | $46,380 | +11.5% |
| Median (50th) | $47,900 | +15.2% |
| 75th | $49,880 | +19.9% |
| 90th | $52,020 | +25.1% |
| Mean | $48,370 | +16.3% |
Highest-paying metro areas in Iowa
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cedar Rapids | $63,690 | 40 | |
| 2 | Sioux City | $51,600 | 190 | |
| 3 | Dubuque | $50,140 | 40 | |
| 4 | Davenport | $48,460 | 100 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Iowa run 12.2% below the national average, so the median of $47,900 goes as far as $54,556 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 31.2% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$47,900as reported by BLSLocal price level
87.8US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$54,556US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $47,900 a year, 15.2% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $43,410 to $52,020 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 850 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 4th of 41 states for this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Cedar Rapids, at $63,690.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders in Iowa?
The median annual wage is $47,900, or $23.03 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $41,590, so pay in Iowa is 15.2% higher. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Iowa earns more than $52,020 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $43,410 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Cedar Rapids, at $63,690 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 850 jobs in this occupation in Iowa. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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