SOC 49-9043 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Maintenance Workers, Machinery — Iowa
Iowa · 2 metro areas compared
The median wage for Maintenance Workers, Machinery in Iowa is $64,760 per year, close to the national median of $60,850 for the same occupation.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
The median wage for Maintenance Workers, Machinery in Iowa is $64,760 per year, close to the national median of $60,850 for the same occupation. Pay ranges from under $49,640 at the tenth percentile to more than $79,340 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $58,660 to $79,340.
Employment stands at 900, or 0.6 jobs per thousand held locally. Among the 46 states with published data for this occupation, Iowa ranks 11th by median wage. Waterloo leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $65,760. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 263rd of 711 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $49,640 | −18.4% |
| 25th | $58,660 | −3.6% |
| Median (50th) | $64,760 | +6.4% |
| 75th | $79,340 | +30.4% |
| 90th | $79,340 | +30.4% |
| Mean | $66,110 | +8.6% |
Highest-paying metro areas in Iowa
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Waterloo | $65,760 | 50 | |
| 2 | Des Moines | $60,000 | 90 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Iowa run 12.2% below the national average, so the median of $64,760 goes as far as $73,759 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 21.2% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$64,760as reported by BLSLocal price level
87.8US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$73,759US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $64,760 a year, 6.4% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $49,640 to $79,340 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 900 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 11th of 46 states for this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Waterloo, at $65,760.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Maintenance Workers, Machinery in Iowa?
The median annual wage is $64,760, or $31.14 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 $60,850, so pay in Iowa is 6.4% 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 $79,340 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $49,640 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 Waterloo, at $65,760 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 900 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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