Ranked by median pay, with jobs and rent share; from BLS and Census data.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 08/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
9 metro areas in Iowa publish pay for this occupation with at least 100 jobs, together 33,460 jobs. The three largest employers of customer service representatives are Des Moines-West Des Moines (12,070 jobs), Omaha (8,810 jobs), Cedar Rapids (3,130 jobs), which hold 71.8% of those jobs. Median pay across these metros runs from $39,530 to $48,880 a year, against $46,090 for the whole state and $44,770 for the whole country.
BLS reports a national median of $44,770 a year for customer service representatives (the lowest-paid tenth earn under $31,750 and the highest-paid tenth over $63,590). Employment is projected to change by -5.3% between 2025 and 2035, with about 289,500 openings a year including replacements. The typical entry route is: High school diploma or equivalent; on-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training. Education requirements are BLS's typical ones, not legal rules; many states also license this work, so check the state board before applying.
Higher pay is not the whole story: look at the rent share column (yearly rent divided by median pay) and the price level (100 is the national average). A metro with a lower salary but cheaper housing can leave more money at the end of the month. The location quotient shows where the occupation is concentrated; employers cluster where it is above 1, which usually means more openings and more competition among employers for the same skills.
Customer service representatives in Iowa: the highest median pay is in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA area ($48,880 a year); the most jobs are in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA area (12,070). Statewide the median is $46,090 with 30,100 jobs. Metro areas with at least 100 jobs in this occupation are listed; click a column to sort.
| Metropolitan area ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Median pay ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Yearly rent as % of median pay ⇅ | Price level (US = 100) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | 12,070 | $48,880 | $35,920 | $66,240 | 1.79 | 28% | 91.7 |
| Dubuque, IA | 1,880 | $46,670 | $37,050 | $61,690 | 1.92 | 25% | 87.3 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | 3,130 | $45,510 | $32,360 | $61,380 | 1.35 | 24% | 89.0 |
| Omaha, NE-IA | 8,810 | $44,260 | $34,040 | $60,170 | 1.06 | 32% | 91.9 |
| Ames, IA | 690 | $42,820 | $30,820 | $63,040 | 0.74 | 28% | 88.8 |
| Iowa City, IA | 1,190 | $42,340 | $28,960 | $65,720 | 0.76 | 31% | 91.5 |
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | 1,110 | $41,010 | $29,960 | $58,360 | 0.89 | 29% | 86.5 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | 3,040 | $39,950 | $31,200 | $60,770 | 1.01 | 28% | 89.1 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | 1,540 | $39,530 | $28,740 | $61,230 | 1.10 | 30% | 87.1 |
National page: Customer service representatives →Cities of Iowa
Rent uses the metro median gross rent (ACS) and appears only for metros that contain a city of this guide. "n/a" means BLS suppressed the figure or we have no rent for that metro.
In the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA area, with a median of $48,880 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025; metro areas with at least 100 jobs).
In the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA area, with 12,070 jobs.