Home / Wages / Cedar Rapids Cedar Rapids salaries The median worker in the Cedar Rapids, IA metro area earned $48,570 a year in 2024, about $23.35 an hour. That ranks #116 of the 391 metro areas published here, 1.9% below the national median.
Iowa
Median pay $48,570 $23.35 per hour
Vs national -1.9% U.S. $49,500
Workers 139,240 wage and salary
Metro rank #116 of 391 by median pay
What this labour market looks like Cedar Rapids pays 1.9% more than Iowa as a whole. Metros usually run ahead of their states because they concentrate higher-paying industries, and the gap is a rough measure of how much of a state's economy sits in its cities.
Unusually concentrated here Occupations against their national share, 2024 Occupation Concentration Employed Median Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers 6× 1,410 $44,390 Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic 5.73× 670 $51,270 Food Batchmakers 3.3× 510 $62,360 Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders 3.11× 1,080 $65,570 Electricians 2.37× 1,590 $48,770 Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters 2.11× 870 $78,680 Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria 2.01× 810 $35,620 Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers 1.9× 3,560 $56,950 First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers 1.69× 1,230 $80,760 Social and Human Service Assistants 1.49× 570 $37,520 Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers 1.44× 770 $49,180 Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators 1.36× 1,790 $39,130
Best paid occupations Highest median pay in Cedar Rapids Occupation Median Hourly Employed Chief Executives $159,580 $76.72 370 Computer and Information Systems Managers $143,500 $68.99 420 Marketing Managers $132,590 $63.75 280 Pharmacists $130,700 $62.84 230 Financial Managers $130,020 $62.51 820 Sales Managers $126,620 $60.88 310 Managers, All Other $125,480 $60.33 360 Lawyers $124,300 $59.76 370 Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary $114,110 n/a 300 Software Developers $108,490 $52.16 1,270 Industrial Production Managers $107,190 $51.54 340 Electrical Engineers $103,790 $49.90 250 Industrial Engineers $102,030 $49.05 350 Computer Occupations, All Other $101,920 $49.00 460 Medical and Health Services Managers $100,520 $48.33 560 Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers $98,870 $47.54 200 Construction Managers $98,260 $47.24 200 Management Analysts $95,480 $45.91 420 Civil Engineers $92,460 $44.45 310 Computer Systems Analysts $87,730 $42.18 390 Physical Therapists $85,720 $41.21 230 Project Management Specialists $83,410 $40.10 820 Mechanical Engineers $82,890 $39.85 400 General and Operations Managers $82,820 $39.82 3,110 Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders $80,910 $38.90 280 Logisticians $80,800 $38.84 250 First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers $80,760 $38.83 1,230 Financial and Investment Analysts $80,470 $38.69 240 Personal Financial Advisors $79,920 $38.42 260 Network and Computer Systems Administrators $79,910 $38.42 270 First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers $79,570 $38.26 510 Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters $78,680 $37.83 870 First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers $78,460 $37.72 220 Loan Officers $78,210 $37.60 220 Instructional Coordinators $77,110 $37.07 390 Registered Nurses $76,560 $36.81 2,690 Insurance Sales Agents $76,150 $36.61 510 Postsecondary Teachers, All Other $75,550 n/a 310 Accountants and Auditors $74,770 $35.95 1,130 Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers $74,250 $35.70 450 Industrial Machinery Mechanics $73,610 $35.39 490 Training and Development Specialists $70,910 $34.09 340 Business Operations Specialists, All Other $69,990 $33.65 690 First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers $69,630 $33.48 830 Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines $66,850 $32.14 290 Compliance Officers $66,820 $32.12 240 Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders $65,570 $31.53 1,080 Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors $65,050 $31.27 410 Cost Estimators $64,810 $31.16 290 Buyers and Purchasing Agents $64,510 $31.02 430 Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists $64,390 $30.96 950 Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products $64,240 $30.89 1,540 Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors $63,630 $30.59 360 First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers $63,420 $30.49 930 Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel $62,620 $30.11 770 Radiologic Technologists and Technicians $62,540 $30.07 230 Social and Community Service Managers $62,420 $30.01 270 Food Batchmakers $62,360 $29.98 510 Computer Network Support Specialists $61,900 $29.76 300 Paralegals and Legal Assistants $61,740 $29.69 290
Where most people work Largest occupations in Cedar Rapids by employment Occupation Employed Median Hourly Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers 3,560 $56,950 $27.38 Cashiers 3,390 $29,100 $13.99 General and Operations Managers 3,110 $82,820 $39.82 Fast Food and Counter Workers 3,050 $28,410 $13.66 Retail Salespersons 3,040 $30,370 $14.60 Customer Service Representatives 2,780 $44,650 $21.46 Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand 2,700 $40,470 $19.46 Registered Nurses 2,690 $76,560 $36.81 Stockers and Order Fillers 2,220 $38,500 $18.51 Home Health and Personal Care Aides 2,160 $35,440 $17.04 Office Clerks, General 2,070 $42,980 $20.67 Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 1,970 $35,110 $16.88 Waiters and Waitresses 1,840 $27,620 $13.28 Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators 1,790 $39,130 $18.81 Nursing Assistants 1,670 $39,260 $18.87 Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary 1,630 $29,890 n/a Electricians 1,590 $48,770 $23.45 Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products 1,540 $64,240 $30.89 Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers 1,410 $44,390 $21.34 Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive 1,330 $46,200 $22.21
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 state estimates. Wage and salary workers only, excluding the self-employed.
Other Iowa metro areas Des Moines-West Des Moines 405,130 workers $50,450 Iowa City 92,330 workers $49,390 Ames 56,310 workers $48,860 Omaha 491,140 workers $48,720 Dubuque 58,930 workers $47,910 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island 179,940 workers $47,470 Cedar Rapids pay: common questions What is the average salary in Cedar Rapids? The median across all occupations is $48,570 , or $23.35 an hour, covering 139,240 wage and salary workers. The mean is $59,760, higher because a small number of very large salaries pull an average upward.
Does Cedar Rapids pay more than the rest of Iowa? Yes. The metro median of $48,570 is 1.9% above the Iowa median of $47,670. Metropolitan areas usually pay more than their states because they concentrate higher-paying industries, and usually cost more to live in for the same reason.
Which jobs pay best in Cedar Rapids? Chief Executives ($159,580), Computer and Information Systems Managers ($143,500), Marketing Managers ($132,590). Medical specialities top nearly every metro list, which reflects how the occupations are classified more than local conditions.
What is Cedar Rapids unusually full of? Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers, at 6× the national concentration. Location quotient is a better description of a local economy than its biggest employers, which are retail and food service almost everywhere.