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State profile · NCES F-33 FY2023

Teacher Salary in Iowa

Iowa's top-to-bottom district pay ratio (1.75x) ranks #38 of 47, lower-third dispersion. According to the NCES Common Core of Data finance survey, estimated teacher pay and per-pupil spending are available for every public school district in Iowa.

$63,660
Est. state avg salary

Below benchmark

-9.4%
vs national
#30
National rank
327
Districts

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$63,660/year (est.)

Iowa's top-to-bottom district pay ratio (1.75x) ranks #38 of 47, lower-third dispersion. Estimated average teacher salary is $63,660, below the national average of $70,245, ranking #30 of 49, across 303 public school districts with reliable data (NCES CCD F-33, FY2023).

  • Tight district pay band: Iowa's top-to-bottom district pay ratio (1.75x) ranks #38 of 47, lower-third dispersion.
  • middle third nationally (#30 of 49)
  • Iowa ranks #30 of 49 on the salary estimate and #29 of 49 on enrollment in the same reliable-district pool.
  • $35,299 spread between its highest- and lowest-paying districts
  • -9.4% vs the national average
  • +9.0% estimated-basis panel FY2019→FY2023 (balanced cohort, not the FTE average above)
  • #23 of 49 purchasing-power-adjusted (BEA RPP 88.8)

How do price levels change Iowa's national position?

Within the enrollment-weighted state comparison, the nominal F-33 estimate is $67,736 and ranks #31. Applying the BEA 2023 Regional Price Parity (88.8, US=100) produces a relative purchasing-power figure of $76,306 and rank #23: 8-place lift.

This is a separate, enrollment-weighted state-level price comparison; the headline and main state-salary rank use an unweighted district mean. Neither measure is take-home pay, a district cost-of-living budget, or an individual contract offer.

Iowa's purchasing-power rank moves 8-place lift

Iowa's nominal average teacher salary ranks #30 of the 49 states and territories that report teacher salaries. Adjusted by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis's 2023 Regional Price Parity (88.8, US = 100, a relative state-level price-level index, not a district or metro cost-of-living figure), the estimate becomes $76,306, ranking #23 of 49 , 7 places higher than the nominal rank once relative price levels are factored in. This purchasing-power view is not published by NEA's teacher-pay rankings or the aggregator sites; it comes from combining our own F-33-derived salary estimate with BEA's public RPP series. See the full 51-state release for methodology and download. BEA Regional Price Parities · NCES CCD F-33

Iowa in the teacher-salary distribution

FY2023 estimated state averages from the same NCES-derived ranking

$63,660 39th percentile higher than 39% of 49 reporting states and territories

Show national distribution $0–$5,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Below this entry. $5,000–$10,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Below this entry. $10,000–$15,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Below this entry. $15,000–$20,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$25,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$30,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Below this entry. $30,000–$35,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Below this entry. $35,000–$40,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Below this entry. $40,000–$45,000: 1 reporting states and territories (2%). Below this entry. $45,000–$50,000: 2 reporting states and territories (4%). Below this entry. $50,000–$55,000: 6 reporting states and territories (12%). Below this entry. $55,000–$60,000: 5 reporting states and territories (10%). Below this entry. $60,000–$65,000: 9 reporting states and territories (18%). This entry sits in this band. $65,000–$70,000: 7 reporting states and territories (14%). Above this entry. $70,000–$75,000: 2 reporting states and territories (4%). Above this entry. $75,000–$80,000: 4 reporting states and territories (8%). Above this entry. $80,000–$85,000: 5 reporting states and territories (10%). Above this entry. $85,000–$90,000: 5 reporting states and territories (10%). Above this entry. $90,000–$95,000: 1 reporting states and territories (2%). Above this entry. $95,000–$100,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Above this entry. $100,000–$105,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Above this entry. $105,000–$110,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Above this entry. $110,000–$115,000: 1 reporting states and territories (2%). Above this entry. $115,000–$120,000: 0 reporting states and territories (0%). Above this entry. $120,000–$125,000: 1 reporting states and territories (2%). Above this entry. Iowa $0 $125,000 reporting state salary estimates, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $5K-wide band; taller bars hold more reporting states and territories. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey; state estimates derived from reported instructional-salary expenditure and teacher FTE · FY2023

Iowa's comparable salary trend

Same reporting-district cohort, FY2019-FY2023

FY2023 estimated average
$71,774 8.992914635821283% vs FY2019
323 districts held in the panel
$64,000$66,000$68,000$70,000$72,000$74,000 FY2019FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023 Iowa est. avg teacher salary, FY2019: $65,852Iowa est. avg teacher salary, FY2020: $66,408Iowa est. avg teacher salary, FY2021: $69,206Iowa est. avg teacher salary, FY2022: $71,272Iowa est. avg teacher salary, FY2023: $71,774 $65,852 $71,774 ▲ +9.0%
Read the chart as text
Period Iowa est. avg teacher salary
FY2019 $65,852
FY2020 $66,408
FY2021 $69,206
FY2022 $71,272
FY2023 $71,774

Highest-paying districts in Iowa

Estimated average teacher salary, enrolling districts (200+ students)

Est. avg salary

What this shows Linn-Mar Comm School District leads Iowa on the F-33 instructional-salary estimate. Service entities (CTCs, county offices) are excluded, their enrollment-based ratios are not reliable salary figures.

Source NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey, FY2023 As of FY2023

Top 3 districts

1 $82,552

Linn-Mar Comm School District

Est. avg teacher salary
2 $80,168

Iowa City Comm School District

Est. avg teacher salary
3 $78,487

Gilbert Comm School District

Est. avg teacher salary

Districts by Estimated Teacher Salary

District Est. Avg Salary Enrollment Per-Pupil Exp
Linn-Mar Comm School District $82,552 7,611 $15,753
Iowa City Comm School District $80,168 14,701 $18,651
Gilbert Comm School District $78,487 1,697 $13,897
Le Mars Comm School District $77,298 2,236 $13,008
Council Bluffs Comm School District $77,118 8,733 $18,680
West Delaware County Comm School District $77,014 1,360 $33,755
Roland-Story Comm School District $76,773 1,125 $15,812
Ottumwa Comm School District $76,723 4,959 $17,041
West Des Moines Comm School District $76,287 9,120 $21,477
Central Lee Comm School District $75,752 1,250 $12,832
Sergeant Bluff-Luton Comm School District $75,646 1,637 $14,932
Mount Vernon Comm School District $75,535 1,402 $16,418
Tri-County Comm School District $75,173 211 $23,692
Johnston Comm School District $74,947 7,431 $14,053
Mason City Comm School District $74,761 3,526 $18,288
Pocahontas Area Comm School District $74,675 696 $16,228
Fort Madison Comm School District $74,222 1,797 $26,630
Lewis Central Comm School District $74,171 3,022 $15,453
Cedar Rapids Comm School District $73,943 15,289 $17,690
College Comm School District $73,643 5,709 $19,231
St Ansgar Comm School District $73,555 608 $15,248
Benton Comm School District $73,281 1,682 $12,651
West Harrison Comm School District $73,210 309 $21,340
Hudson Comm School District $72,682 866 $13,820
Ballard Comm School District $72,578 1,871 $14,139
Waukee Comm School District $72,406 13,082 $19,142
Prairie Valley Comm School District $72,278 561 $20,299
Red Oak Comm School District $71,775 1,044 $15,197
Algona Comm School District $71,761 1,563 $15,445
Harlan Comm School District $71,655 1,498 $15,810
Carroll Comm School District $71,634 1,722 $15,391
Osage Comm School District $71,627 986 $13,373
Cedar Falls Comm School District $71,604 5,884 $20,115
Pleasant Valley Comm School District $71,443 5,651 $12,809
Hampton-Dumont Comm School District $71,360 1,298 $14,641
Martensdale-St Marys Comm School District $71,179 580 $14,176
MOC-Floyd Valley Comm School District $71,178 1,489 $25,744
Ames Comm School District $71,165 4,645 $18,731
Ankeny Comm School District $71,096 12,750 $15,671
Sioux City Comm School District $70,951 14,718 $14,366
Southeast Polk Comm School District $70,841 7,397 $20,009
Dike-New Hartford Comm School District $70,837 945 $19,115
Glidden-Ralston Comm School District $70,573 386 $14,793
Nashua-Plainfield Comm School District $70,486 582 $15,694
North Linn Comm School District $70,449 535 $25,993
South Hamilton Comm School District $69,969 690 $15,475
Centerville Comm School District $69,922 1,339 $19,465
Turkey Valley Comm School District $69,817 375 $18,155
Waverly-Shell Rock Comm School District $69,512 2,304 $27,855
Pella Comm School District $69,493 2,491 $20,780
Humboldt Comm School District $69,479 1,485 $16,198
Bettendorf Comm School District $69,423 4,432 $14,026
Denison Comm School District $69,264 2,245 $14,408
Des Moines Independent Comm School District $69,203 30,278 $18,580
Clayton Ridge Comm School District $69,134 1,485 $10,844
Southeast Webster Grand Comm School District $68,931 523 $19,989
Boone Comm School District $68,919 1,976 $29,687
Indianola Comm School District $68,741 3,665 $14,281
Oelwein Comm School District $68,642 1,345 $15,852
Keokuk Comm School District $68,523 1,781 $17,623
Davenport Comm School District $68,506 13,744 $16,292
Urbandale Comm School District $68,504 4,258 $19,747
East Marshall Comm School District $68,498 713 $14,398
Midland Comm School District $68,275 508 $19,984
North Scott Comm School District $68,194 3,389 $14,747
Emmetsburg Comm School District $68,178 770 $16,552
Knoxville Comm School District $68,161 1,674 $20,093
Wapello Comm School District $68,148 541 $16,982
Boyden-Hull Comm School District $68,140 603 $17,813
Iowa Valley Comm School District $68,095 547 $14,967
Storm Lake Comm School District $68,074 2,794 $16,339
Panorama Comm School District $68,016 691 $16,590
Solon Comm School District $67,889 1,523 $13,351
Webster City Comm School District $67,883 1,731 $15,527
Waterloo Comm School District $67,821 10,527 $17,702
Marshalltown Comm School District $67,820 5,078 $14,978
New London Comm School District $67,586 592 $20,363
Pekin Comm School District $67,507 642 $17,179
Woodbury Central Comm School District $67,490 566 $15,857
Sioux Center Comm School District $67,484 1,579 $14,448
Hinton Comm School District $67,477 842 $13,215
Spencer Comm School District $67,348 2,230 $14,817
Schaller-Crestland Comm School District $67,319 353 $17,467
Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Comm School District $67,204 1,071 $18,296
Ar-We-Va Comm School District $67,194 243 $15,329
Aplington-Parkersburg Comm School District $67,156 853 $13,218
Mount Pleasant Comm School District $67,138 1,851 $14,123
Sigourney Comm School District $67,131 593 $14,142
Spirit Lake Comm School District $67,118 1,304 $13,696
Van Meter Comm School District $67,079 1,090 $10,842
Chariton Comm School District $66,966 1,215 $16,220
Odebolt Arthur Battle Creek Ida Grove Comm School District $66,960 960 $16,948
Westwood Comm School District $66,826 625 $16,088
Center Point-Urbana Comm School District $66,728 1,466 $13,089
Lamoni Comm School District $66,428 380 $14,487
English Valleys Comm School District $66,310 451 $15,477
Maple Valley-Anthon Oto Comm School District $66,253 645 $17,617
Washington Comm School District $66,192 1,653 $20,208
Jesup Comm School District $66,148 1,069 $14,967
Ogden Comm School District $66,051 724 $14,896

Showing 1–100 of 303 enrolling districts. Specialized non-enrolling agencies (career/technical centers, county offices, service co-ops) are excluded from the salary ranking, their enrollment-based estimates are not reliable.

Lowest-Paying Districts in Iowa

District Est. Avg Salary Enrollment
Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn Comm School District $47,253 386
Manson Northwest Webster Comm School District $47,411 779
West Bend-Mallard Comm School District $47,506 395
Springville Comm School District $47,958 438
Murray Comm School District $48,629 298
Waco Comm School District $50,258 505
Keota Comm School District $50,396 321
Cardinal Comm School District $50,651 1,074
CAM Comm School District $50,987 1,441
Lone Tree Comm School District $51,115 428

Among enrolling districts (200+ students) with a reliable estimate; service entities excluded, see methodology.

Nationwide states with similar K-12 scale to Iowa

Two nationwide peer sets for Iowa: closest on estimated average teacher salary ($63,660 here) and closest on total student enrollment (504,580 here). Link sets are deduped so each column is a distinct comparison path, not geographic containment.

Similar estimated salary

Nearest other states by unweighted district-mean teacher pay (F-33 derived, ≥5 districts with reliable estimates).

Similar enrollment

Nearest other states by NCES-reported K-12 enrollment. Salary peers above are excluded.

Compare Nearby-Ranked States

South Carolina
$64,775
Rank #27
Colorado
$64,442
Rank #28
Arizona
$63,921
Rank #29
Nebraska
$63,159
Rank #31

Data: NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey + Staff Universe Survey, FY2023. Salary figures divide instructional expenditure (variable Z33) by each district's reported teacher FTE, or an estimated FTE for the small minority with no reported figure. Not individual salary data. Read our methodology.

Iowa teacher salary FAQ

What is the average teacher salary in Iowa?

Across 303 Iowa public school districts with reliable data, the average teacher salary is $63,660 (NCES CCD F-33 reported teacher salaries divided by CCD Staff Universe Survey teacher headcounts, FY2023). It is a district-level mean derived from finance filings, so it will not match a contract-salary survey exactly, read it as a relative comparison.

Which Iowa school district pays teachers the most?

Linn-Mar Comm School District reports the highest average teacher salary in Iowa at $82,552, while Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn Comm School District sits at the lower end at $47,253.

How does Iowa teacher pay compare to the national average?

Iowa's average of $63,660 is below the national average of $70,245 (-9.4%), ranking #30 of the 49 jurisdictions with a reliable district estimate.

How many school districts are in Iowa?

Iowa has 327 public school districts in the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey, together serving 504,580 students.

How much do teachers make in Iowa?

District-average teacher pay in Iowa sits in a comparatively narrow band, from $47,253 in Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn Comm School District to $82,552 in Linn-Mar Comm School District. With that little district-to-district spread the statewide figure is a reasonable guide to what most districts pay. These are district-wide averages from NCES CCD F-33 (FY2023), not individual salaries or pay-scale steps.

Can teachers earn $100,000 in Iowa?

No Iowa district with reliable data reports an estimated average teacher salary at or above $100,000; the state's highest is Linn-Mar Comm School District at $82,552. This is a district-wide average, not an individual salary, step, or years-of-experience figure.

How does Iowa rank after adjusting for cost of living?

Within the separate enrollment-weighted state comparison, BEA's 2023 Regional Price Parity (88.8, US=100) adjusts Iowa's nominal estimate of $67,736 from #31 to $76,306 and #23. The headline uses an unweighted district mean, so this does not replace it. Neither measure is take-home pay, taxes, or district/metro cost of living.

Explore Iowa

Disclaimer & data sources

Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainTeacher for Iowa