Based on the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data — updated September 10, 2026.
| Iowa | National | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual salary | $50,310 | $64,771 | -22% |
| Median hourly wage | $24.19 | $31.14 | -22% |
Adjusted for local price levels (100 = national average), the cost-adjusted median is $57,301.
| City | Median | Entry Level | Experienced | Cost of Living |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City-level data coming soon. | ||||
The median annual salary for a Graphic Designer in Iowa is $50,310, or about $24.19 per hour, according to BLS OEWS data.
The national median for Graphic Designers is $64,771. Iowa is -22% below the national median.
Entry-level graphic designers in Iowa typically earn from varies by experience depending on the city and employer.
With 2,100 graphic designer jobs on record and a median salary of $50,310, Iowa offers competitive pay compared to the rest of the country.
By median annual wage, graphic designers rank 437 of the 711 occupations reported in Iowa — higher than 39% of them.
Among occupations in the same job family, Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners at $93,810, Art Directors at $80,940, Commercial and Industrial Designers at $70,420 — all figures are median annual wages for Iowa.
No. Every figure on this page is a gross (pre-tax) wage. Iowa levies a state income tax, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 90.0 (100 = national average).
By median annual wage, graphic designers rank 437 of the 711 occupations reported in Iowa — higher than 39% of them.
| Occupation in the same job family | Median in Iowa | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners | $93,810 | $160 |
| Art Directors | $80,940 | $280 |
| Commercial and Industrial Designers | $70,420 | $440 |
| Technical Writers | $66,520 | $640 |
| Public Relations Specialists | $62,970 | $2,890 |
| Music Directors and Composers | $61,740 | $120 |
Iowa levies a state income tax, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 90.0 (100 = national average).
Ranking and comparison figures come from the same BLS OEWS release as the rest of this page, which covers 711 occupations in Iowa.