Electrician salary in Iowa: what electricians earn in 2026
Electricians in Iowa earn a median of $60,860 a year — $2,330 below the national median. State wage and employment data from the BLS, plus what it means if you're hiring.
By Westie · Chief Culture Officer, HireAligned ·
What does an electrician make in Iowa?
The median wage for electricians in Iowa is $60,860 a year, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' May 2025 wage data. That is $2,330 below the national median of $63,190, putting Iowa 40th of 51 jurisdictions on electrician pay. About 10,310 electricians work in the state.
| Measure | Iowa | National |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual wage | $60,860 | $63,190 |
| Electricians employed | 10,310 | 757,220 |
| Rank on pay | 40th of 51 | — |
| Rank on workforce size | 28th of 51 | — |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, occupation 47-2111 (Electricians).
What that number means if you're hiring in Iowa
Iowa pays electricians below the national median. That reads as an advantage on paper, but your competition for these electricians is local — you are bidding against the shop down the road, not against the national average. Iowa sits 28th in the country by workforce size — a mid-sized pool, deep enough to hire from consistently but not so deep that a slow process goes unpunished.
Two caveats worth holding onto. The state median is a lagging figure — OEWS data reflects May 2025, and in a market where trades wages have been climbing, a year-old median can already sit under the live rate. And within-state variation between a major metro and a rural county is routinely wider than the gap between two states, so benchmark to the metro you actually hire in and treat $60,860 as your floor.
How Iowa compares on electrician pay
The states closest to Iowa on median electrician pay:
- Electrician salary in Arizona — $61,060 (21,140 electricians)
- Electrician salary in Oklahoma — $61,010 (8,500 electricians)
- Electrician salary in Mississippi — $60,860 (6,610 electricians)
- Electrician salary in Nebraska — $60,820 (6,440 electricians)
For the full ranking of all 51 jurisdictions, see electrician salary by state. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook entry for Electricians covers the demand side.
Filling the seat, not just pricing it
Knowing your state's number keeps you from underbidding the market and losing candidates you never heard from. It will not, on its own, fill the truck. The shops that hire fastest in Iowa are the ones already talking to electricians before a seat opens, so the job starts with a shortlist instead of a blank post and a six-week wait.
That is the always-on approach we run for plumbing and HVAC businesses. See how done-for-you hiring works, or build the pipeline yourself.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average electrician salary in Iowa?+
The median wage for electricians in Iowa is $60,860 a year, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' May 2025 wage data. That is $2,330 below the national median of $63,190. Half of electricians in Iowa earn more than that figure and half earn less.
How many electricians work in Iowa?+
Iowa employs about 10,310 electricians, out of roughly 757,220 nationally — a mid-sized workforce by national standards, ranking 28th of 51 jurisdictions by workforce size. Pool depth matters more than the headline wage when you are deciding how hard a role will be to fill.
Is $60,860 enough to hire an electrician in Iowa?+
Treat it as a floor rather than a target. The state median is a lagging, statewide figure, and within-state variation between a major metro and a rural county is routinely larger than the gap between two states. Benchmark to the metro you actually hire in, and check your response time before assuming a wage problem — a qualified electrician who waits three days for a callback has usually taken another offer.