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General Contractor salary in Iowa
The middle half of general contractors in Iowa earned $30.72 to $46.12 an hour in May 2025, and the top tenth $50.94 or more.1 The median is 2% below the US median.2
BLS has no general contractor occupation. These figures are for first-line supervisors of construction trades (SOC 47-1011); construction managers (SOC 11-9021) in Iowa earned a median $47.73 an hour ($99,280 a year). OEWS counts employees only, so self-employed contractors are not included.
- 10th
- $27.24
- 25th
- $30.72
- Median
- $37.75
- 75th
- $46.12
- 90th
- $50.94
- 10th
- $56,660
- 25th
- $63,900
- Median
- $78,510
- 75th
- $95,930
- 90th
- $105,960
Which Iowa cities pay general contractors the most?
Cedar Rapids has the highest median of the 8 metro areas below, $41.77 an hour; Ames has the lowest, $34.74.1
- Cedar Rapids$41.77
- Davenport–Moline$41.43
- Des Moines–West Des Moines$39.47
- Sioux City$39.12
- Waterloo–Cedar Falls$37.39
- Dubuque$37.17
- Iowa City$36.24
- Ames$34.74
Do general contractors make $100,000 a year in Iowa?
Between 10% and 25% do. $100,000 falls between the 75th percentile ($95,930) and the 90th ($105,960).1
How much do new general contractors make in Iowa?
The lowest-paid tenth of general contractors in Iowa earned $27.24 an hour or less ($56,660 a year), and the lowest quarter earned $30.72 or less.1 OEWS does not report apprentice pay separately.
Are general contractors in demand in Iowa?
Projections Central expects Iowa to go from 7,870 general contractor jobs in 2024 to 8,500 in 2034, a change of 8.1%, with about 660 openings a year.3 The US projection is 5.3%.
| Area | Jobs 2024 | Jobs 2034 | Change | Openings a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa | 7,870 | 8,500 | 8.1% | 660 |
| United States | 921,600 | 970,600 | 5.3% | 74,400 |
How does general contractor pay compare with other trades in Iowa?
General contractors have the highest median pay of the five trades on this site in Iowa, $37.75 an hour. Plumbers are next at $30.72.1
| Trade | Median hourly | Median annual | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Contractors | $37.75 | $78,510 | 9,660 |
| Plumbers | $30.72 | $63,890 | 5,730 |
| Electricians | $29.26 | $60,860 | 10,310 |
| HVAC Technicians | $29.17 | $60,680 | 3,840 |
| Roofers | $23.39 | $48,660 | 930 |
Where to train in Iowa
Sources
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Iowa, May 2025 (bls.gov, May 2025)
- BLS OEWS national estimates: First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers (47-1011), May 2025 (bls.gov, May 2025)
- Projections Central, long-term occupational projections 2024-2034 (projectionscentral.org, 2024-2034)