Librarian salary in Iowa
The median annual wage for librarians and media collections specialists in Iowa was $58,440 in May 2025, with an average of $58,520. About 1,770 people work in this occupation there.
That is 14% below the national median of $68,270. Compared with all occupations in Iowa (median $48,540), librarians earn 20% more. With a location quotient of 1.32, the occupation is more concentrated here than in the US as a whole.
Pay varies widely: the lowest-paid 10% earned less than $31,620, while the top 10% earned more than $86,600. Many librarians are self-employed, and BLS wage surveys cover employees only, so freelance income can differ.
Pay distribution
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $31,620 | $15.20 |
| 25th | $39,550 | $19.02 |
| Median | $58,440 | $28.09 |
| 75th | $76,040 | $36.56 |
| 90th | $86,600 | $41.63 |
Metro areas in Iowa
| Metro area | Median | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| Iowa City, IA | $77,680 | 170 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $75,960 | 280 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | $63,550 | 140 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $63,180 | 80 |
| Ames, IA | $60,610 | 90 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $56,850 | 200 |
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $50,700 | 50 |
| Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $50,630 | 270 |
| Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $44,150 | 240 |
| Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $43,970 | 160 |
| Southwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $35,770 | 150 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Estimates exclude self-employed workers; "—" means the estimate was not released.