Technology Iowa City, IA Pop. 74,828

Data Engineer Salary in Iowa City, Iowa

The median data engineer salary in Iowa City, IA is $115,000 per year, which is 8% below the national median and 7.0% above the Iowa state average.

City Median
$115,000
vs State Avg
+$7,500
vs National
$-10,000
Cost of Living
95%

Data Engineer Pay in Iowa City: What to Expect (2026)

Iowa City offers a median data engineer salary of $115,000, which is $7,500 above the Iowa state average of $107,500. Compared to the national median of $125,000, Iowa City pays below the national benchmark for this role.

Iowa City's cost of living is 95% of the national average, meaning salary figures here closely reflect actual purchasing power. This makes direct comparisons to other cities straightforward.

The salary range for data engineers in Iowa City spans from $71,760 at the 10th percentile to $174,800 at the 90th percentile — a $103,040 spread. Entry-level professionals start around $73,600, while senior data engineers with 8+ years of experience can earn up to $165,600. Iowa City is a smaller market (pop. 74,828), which may mean fewer openings but also less competition for available positions.

Data Engineer Salary in Iowa City by Experience

In Iowa City, an entry-level data engineer earns around $73,600, while experienced professionals earn up to $165,600 per year. The local cost of living index is 95% of the national average.

Entry Level (0-2 yrs)
$73,600
$-6,400 vs national
Mid Level (3-7 yrs)
$116,840
$-10,160 vs national
Senior Level (8+ yrs)
$165,600
$-14,400 vs national

Salary Percentiles in Iowa City, IA

Percentile Iowa City
10th Percentile $71,760
25th Percentile $92,000
Median (50th) $115,000
75th Percentile $145,360
90th Percentile $174,800

Data Engineer Salary in Other Iowa Cities

Des Moines, IA
$111,250
Pop. 214,133
Cedar Rapids, IA
$106,250
Pop. 137,710
Davenport, IA
$103,750
Pop. 101,724
Sioux City, IA
$101,250
Pop. 85,797

How to Become a Data Engineer in Iowa City

Education

Most data engineer positions require a bachelor's degree. Iowa City and the surrounding Iowa area have institutions offering relevant programs.

Key Skills

PythonSQLSparkAirflowAWS/GCPData Modeling

Job Outlook

Nationally, data engineer employment is projected to grow 28% over the next decade (much faster than average). Demand in Iowa City may vary based on local industry and population growth.

Find Data Engineer Jobs in Iowa City

Browse open data engineer positions in Iowa City, IA:

Indeed → LinkedIn → ZipRecruiter → Glassdoor →

Frequently Asked Questions: Data Engineer Salary in Iowa City

How much does a Data Engineer make in Iowa City, IA? ▼
The median data engineer salary in Iowa City, Iowa is $115,000 per year, which is 8% below the national median of $125,000. Salaries range from $71,760 (10th percentile) to $174,800 (90th percentile).
How much does a Data Engineer make per hour in Iowa City? ▼
Based on the median annual salary of $115,000, a data engineer in Iowa City earns approximately $55 per hour assuming a standard 2,080-hour work year.
How does Iowa City compare to the Iowa state average for data engineer pay? ▼
Iowa City's median data engineer salary of $115,000 is 7.0% above the Iowa state average of $107,500. The local cost of living index is 95% of the national average.
What is the cost of living in Iowa City, IA? ▼
Iowa City has a cost of living index of 95% compared to the national average. This means a data engineer salary of $115,000 in Iowa City has more purchasing power than the same salary in an average-cost city.
What qualifications do I need to become a data engineer in Iowa City? ▼
Most data engineer positions in Iowa City require a bachelor's degree. Key skills include Python, SQL, Spark, Airflow. The job market is projected to grow 28% nationally over the next decade.