Nurse practitioner salary in Iowa
Iowa nurse practitioners earn a median of $130,160 a year ($62.58 an hour), according to BLS data for May 2025. That is 2% below the national median of $132,300, and ranks 32nd of 51 states.
Median, Iowa
$130,160
Mean $136,940
Middle half earns
$122,720 to $141,940
US: $117,990 to $156,700
Employed in Iowa
3,240
1.00x the national concentration
Where Iowa sits in the range
Iowa
Statewide
United States
National
Omaha
Metro area
Des Moines
Metro area
Davenport
Metro area
Iowa
Metro area
Nurse practitioner pay by percentile
Ten percent of Iowa nurse practitioners earned less than $107,990 and ten percent earned more than $167,590, a spread of $59,600. Where you land depends mostly on specialty, setting, experience and how the productivity pay is built, which is why two offers in the same city can be far apart.
| Percentile | Iowa | United States | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $107,990 | $101,340 | +6.6% |
| 25th | $122,720 | $117,990 | +4.0% |
| Median | $130,160 | $132,300 | -1.6% |
| 75th | $141,940 | $156,700 | -9.4% |
| 90th | $167,590 | $174,420 | -3.9% |
Nurse practitioner pay by metro area
BLS published NP pay for 9 metro areas that include part of Iowa. Omaha, NE-IA has the highest median at $133,760. Metro estimates rest on smaller samples than the statewide figure, so treat a low-precision row as a direction, not a number.
| Metro area | Employed | Median | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|
| Omaha, NE-IA | 1,380 | $133,760 | $123,430 to $140,490 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | 820 | $132,230 | $128,110 to $141,950 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | 390 | $130,400 | $114,230 to $138,300 |
| Iowa City, IA | 330 | $129,030 | $129,030 to $141,290 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | 260 | $126,330 | $117,520 to $136,260 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | 240 | $129,890 | $124,290 to $134,400 |
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | 150 | $129,060 | $119,950 to $142,830 |
| Dubuque, IA | 130 | $129,620 | $121,690 to $151,190 |
| Ames, IAmoderate precision | 70 | $127,600 | $104,750 to $140,360 |
How NP pay compares with other clinicians in Iowa
| Occupation | Iowa | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Nurse practitioner | $130,160 | $132,300 |
| Physician assistant | $134,770 | $135,880 |
| Nurse anesthetist (CRNA) | $273,070 | $236,590 |
| Registered nurse | $78,630 | $97,550 |
The Iowa NP workforce
BLS counts 3,240 nurse practitioners on Iowa payrolls, or 2.08 for every 1,000 jobs in the state, close to the national concentration. The federal NPI registry, which also counts self-employed and part-time clinicians, lists 4,515 nurse practitioners with a Iowa practice address, and 236 new NP NPIs there in the past twelve months.
Using these numbers when you negotiate
A state median is a reference point, not a target. If an offer comes in under $122,720, it sits in the bottom quarter of what Iowa nurse practitioners earn, and you should know why before you sign: a new-grad rate, a light schedule, or a base kept low because a productivity bonus is supposed to make up the difference. If it is above $141,940, ask what is expected in return, such as call, volume targets or a longer non-compete.
Compare the whole package, not the base: how the bonus is calculated, call pay, CME, PTO and who pays malpractice tail coverage. The negotiation guide and the contract checklist walk through each term.
Questions about NP pay in Iowa
How much does a NP make in Iowa?
The median annual wage for nurse practitioners in Iowa was $130,160 in May 2025, and the mean was $136,940, per the BLS. The middle half earned between $122,720 and $141,940.
What is the hourly rate for nurse practitioners in Iowa?
The median hourly wage was $62.58 and the mean was $65.84. BLS computes hourly figures from annual pay assuming a full-time year, so per-shift or per-diem rates can differ.
Where do NPs earn the most in Iowa?
Among Iowa metro areas with published data, Omaha, NE-IA had the highest median at $133,760, and Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA the lowest at $126,330.
How does Iowa rank for NP pay?
Iowa ranks 32nd of 51 states (including DC) by median NP pay, 2% below the national median of $132,300. Pay is only half the picture: compare it with what housing and taxes cost where you would live.
How many nurse practitioners work in Iowa?
BLS estimated 3,240 nurse practitioners employed in Iowa in May 2025. The federal NPI registry lists 4,515 with a Iowa practice address.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (bls.gov/oes), SOC 29-1171, all industries and ownerships. NPI counts: NPPES monthly file, August 2026 (CMS, public domain). BLS wages are straight-time pay: they include production bonuses but leave out overtime, shift differentials, non-production bonuses and benefits, and they exclude the self-employed.
Have an offer on the table?
Book a free intro call with Max. Tell him what you are weighing, and he will tell you whether coaching would help, or whether you just need a few answers.