Are you interested in launching or advancing an exciting technology career? If so, you should seriously consider Iowa. With its thriving mix of startups alongside major global firms like Google, Facebook, and Microsoft building large data centers in the state, Iowa has rapidly grown into a Midwest technology hub with outstanding career opportunities.
Demand for skilled technical talent continues rising steeply across industries like healthcare, agriculture, finance, insurance, and more. recent data indicates there are over 5,000 tech job openings across Iowa paying over $60,000 annually. Between 2020 and 2030, state officials also project science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) occupations in Iowa to expand by over 13% – outpacing the 9% national average.
This guide spotlights the 10 highest-paying tech jobs currently available in Iowa, along with key details on typical salaries, core responsibilities, required credentials, top hiring companies, and growth outlooks for each role.
The Cream of the Crop: Iowa‘s Most Lucrative Tech Positions
#1. Senior Software Engineer – $159,518 Average Annual Salary
With development expertise in high demand, senior software engineers earn the top salaries among Iowa tech positions – averaging $159,518 per year. Major companies like Rockwell Collins, Dwelo, and CareTech Solutions have recurring job openings for senior-level software talent capable of designing complex systems.
If you become a Senior Software Engineer in Iowa, you would spearhead full software development life cycles, lead teams of junior developers, and ensure all programming integrations meet security and compliance protocols. Strong leadership, system design abilities, and mastery programming in languages like Java and C++ are vital for success. A bachelor‘s or master‘s degree in computer engineering or similar field combined with 5-7 years of direct hands-on experience is typically required.
Iowa‘s job outlook for software and web developers will also grow rapidly at 20% over the next decade – over twice the national average. So senior coders with the right blend of technical abilities and leadership talents are guaranteed to find rewarding, high-paying opportunities.
#2. Cybersecurity Engineer – $140,293 Average Annual Salary
With virtually every modern organization housing sensitive information online, demand has exploded for cybersecurity expertise across industries. On average, cybersecurity engineers make $140,293 annually protecting Iowa companies, government agencies, hospitals and colleges against emerging digital threats.
As a cybersecurity engineer, your responsibilities would center on developing security infrastructure to shield confidential data, networks, intellectual property, and core computer systems from attacks. This involves regularly installing new firewalls, encryption programs, intrusion detection protocols, and access controls – plus continuously monitoring systems for irregular activity indicating possible breaches. Strong analytical thinking, communication skills, and a cybersecurity educational background are fundamental for security engineers.
Major Iowa-based employers like Rockwell Collins, Wells Fargo, UnityPoint Health, and Transamerica all hire extensively for cybersecurity engineering talent to join their dedicated information security teams. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics also projects nationwide cybersecurity jobs to swell by over 30% through 2030 – vastly outpacing average occupation growth.
Cybersecurity Engineer Yearly Salaries in Iowa
Entry-level: $92,000 - $112,000
Mid-career: $122,000 - $152,000
Late-career: $135,000 - $185,000#3. Technical IT Manager – $133,016 Average Annual Salary
Experienced technology professionals who gain project management expertise can advance into technical IT manager roles earning around $133,016 per year on average in Iowa.
As an IT manager, you would lead teams of technicians, administrators, developers, analysts, and engineers to launch critical technology initiatives matching key business goals. This involves coordinating employee training programs, evaluating emerging technologies for adoption, containment costs on IT projects, and forging communication channels across technical and business departments.
Strong leadership talents combined with knowledge navigating complex infrastructure and software systems are vital for IT managers. Most employers also require a bachelor‘s degree in information technology or computer science along with 5+ years managing direct technology teams.
Prominent Iowa employers like Hy-Vee Supermarkets, UnityPoint Health hospitals, and Renewable Energy Group biodiesel producers continue seeking out top technical management talent to oversee innovative development projects. The State projects over 400 annual IT manager job openings through 2026 as well.
#4. Database Administrator- $122,667 Average Annual Salary
With data emerging as one of the most valuable modern organizational assets, database administrator roles maintain tremendous importance – reflected by $122,667 average salaries in Iowa.
Charged with architecting and governing data infrastructures, database administrators install sophisticated database servers, apply security controls, troubleshoot performance issues, and ensure systems reliability. As nearly all companies build expansive digital data to inform business decisions, qualified DBAs remain scarce.
If you become a Database Admin in Iowa, you would likely work for major firms like John Deere, Rockwell Collins, Wells Fargo, or Casey‘s General Stores headquartered in the state. While a bachelor‘s degree in information technology is generally preferred, some employers will substitute 4-year technology experience managing business databases. Excellent analytical, communication and issues resolution abilities are also vital for smooth DBA performance.
Iowa DBA salaries should continue rising as demand is expected to swell 15% by 2030. So database management presents a promising tech career direction offering stability and generous compensation.
#5. Senior Information Security Analyst – $105,576 Average Annual Salary
With cyber threats constantly evolving, experienced information security analysts earn over $100,000 yearly in Iowa monitoring systems and data for risks. They interpret unusual digital activity, address attempted infiltrations, identify application and network vulnerabilities, make security enhancement recommendations, and keep leadership apprised of potential exposure issues needing remediation.
To succeed as a Senior Information Security Analyst, you will need outstanding critical thinking abilities, communication talents, and knowledge of risk analysis and data governance protocols. Holding an advanced certification like the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) or Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) gives you a competitive advantage.
Major Iowa employers including Principle Financial Group, Verizon Wireless, Collins Aerospace, and Banker‘s Trust all retain senior security analysts for their protection and response teams. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts information security analyst jobs nationally to grow 33% through 2030 – presenting huge opportunities for qualified data protection experts in Iowa as well.
#6. Web Developer- $95,361 Average Annual Salary
Fueling rapid expansion of digital technologies and online platforms, web developers in Iowa earn over $95,000 annually on average. Responsibilities focus heavily on coding, programming, and optimizing user interface and functionality aspects of websites and web applications that drive business results.
If you secure a web developer job with top Iowa employers like Global Atlantic Financial, Casey‘s General Stores, or CenturyLink Communications – you would collaborate routinely with design, marketing and content teams conceptualizing creative ways to showcase products, connect customers, capture data, and enable e-commerce through digital properties.
You will need sharp programming abilities across front-end development coding languages like JavaScript, HTML and CSS – plus back-end/server-side languages like PHP, Python and Ruby on Rails. Familiarity implementing content management systems (CMS) like WordPress is also hugely beneficial. While some junior-level web development roles only require an associates degree, most employers seek four-year computer science graduates with relevant training.
Iowa currently has over 1,300 web developer job openings – making it a prime state to launch a coding career. The Bureau of Labor Statistics also expects national Growth of 13% for these digital builder jobs over the next decade – steadily fueling demand for skilled programming experts across Iowa industry.
#7. Senior Data Analyst – $95,001 Average Annual Salary
Senior data analysts occupy critical roles translating volumes of organizational information into meaningful insights guiding innovation and strategy. These analytics experts identify patterns within complex quantitative and qualitative data sets using statistical modeling, predictive analytics, data mining, and reporting tools. Their findings and recommendations then influence key decisions around budgets, business processes, new initiatives and more. This crucial capability earns experienced analysts just over $95,000 yearly in Iowa.
Many growing Iowa companies seek data interpretation skills that can power improved performance in sales, marketing, operations and new product development functions. Qualifications often include SQL programming, statistical analysis and modeling expertise, plus experience synthesizing data with tools like Python, SAS or Tableau.
While Iowa‘s overall employment of data analysts will surge 25% over the next decade, individual salaries also promise to rise steadily for those delivering business value from bip data. So developing advanced analytics abilities through supplementary education and certifications can be a shrewd move for long-term earnings growth and career security.
#8. Systems Engineer- $89,472 Average Annual Salary
System engineers build and administer foundational computer components, servers, and network infrastructures that enable modern business processes across organizations. Given their vital strategic IT role, system engineers earn over $89,000 in Iowa monitoring tech architecture for maximum security and efficiency.
Daily responsibilities span installing operating systems, troubleshooting connectivity and hardware issues, automating processes through scripting, ensuring backup systems remain current, and proactively addressing system risks that could prompt downtime. Strong technical knowledge and problem-solving ability are necessities for smooth system engineering performance.
Opportunities are plentiful at the moment too, with Iowa network and system administration jobs projected to swell 9% by 2030. So whether you enjoy tackling complex technical puzzles or prefer big-picture strategic infrastructure projects, system engineering offers an engaging career direction withlucrative compensation.
#9. Project Engineer- $74,450 Average Annual Salary
Valued for expertise executing key engineering initiatives, project engineers in Iowa earn around $74,500 annually overseeing vital installation and development programs.
In this management-oriented technical role, you would lead critical operational aspects of company projects including designing plans/timelines, procuring necessary equipment, coordinating contract workers, monitoring budgets, resolving issues, and reviewing finished products against quality benchmarks Through collaborative leadership backed by solid engineering principles, project engineers deliver results fostering innovation and growth for employers.
Strong project execution talents with broad awareness of mechanical, manufacturing, electrical, systems integration, and industrial engineering allow you to thrive as a project engineer managing impactful initiatives. Iowa‘s robust agriculture equipment and aerospace industries present numerous opportunities at companies like Deere & Company, Collins Aerospace and Vermeer Corporation. The state also expects solid long-term growth for engineering project managers as technology investments continue expanding.
#10. Business Systems Analyst- $67,743 Average Annual Salary
While the lowest paid role among Iowa‘s top tech positions, business systems analysts still earn a respectable $67,743 annually helping bridge IT infrastructure capabilities with business objectives.
In this communication-oriented job, you would confer with diverse departments and leadership groups identifying how current data systems, software tools and technical infrastructure can be optimized to enable key functions and processes. You would produce recommendations through cost/benefit analysis exploring modernization investments and process automation opportunities.
Strong analytical, documentation and conversational abilities are vital for business systems analysts assessing organizational puzzles and translating complex technical concepts for non-technical audiences. Most Iowa employers prefer 4-year business administration or information technology graduates. Aligned with expansions in technology spending, state projections indicate solid long-term growth for analysts who can connect infrastructure capabilities with business goals.
Iowa Tech Job 2020 Jobs 2030 Projected % Increase
Software Developers 8,200 11,100 35%
Information Security 2,000 3,000 50%
Web Developers 2,000 2,500 25%
Database Admins 1,300 1,600 23%
Network Architects 1,900 2,200 16%
System Engineers 3,100 3,400 10%*Iowa Workforce Development information technology state employment data and projections
Final Thoughts
So for technology professionals at any career stage seeking lucrative salaries paired with engaging work – Iowa delivers on both fronts. The state has actively fostered growth in sectors like financial services, advanced manufacturing, biosciences, defense and more – sparking lots of exciting development activity requiring new technical infrastructure and software solutions.
These roles represent some of the top-paying and most dynamic opportunities currently available for qualified experts who can fulfill key tech needs that companies desperately need.
Beyond promising career prospects, Iowa also offers an affordable cost of living and wealth of cultural attractions that make it a wonderful place to plant professional roots and establish a family. The unique blend of financial stability, great schools, welcoming midwest communities and abundant natural beauty beckons technology talent.
So whether starting out or looking to level up your technology career, be sure to give Iowa strong consideration. The state needs ambitious professionals across many skills areas to support swelling innovation initiatives. And in return, you will find rewarding work along with the exceptional living quality that keeps so many Iowans happily rooted for the long term.
