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 19,700 jobs. The three largest employers of office clerks, general are Des Moines-West Des Moines (6,010 jobs), Omaha (4,400 jobs), Davenport-Moline-Rock Island (2,370 jobs), which hold 64.9% of those jobs. Median pay across these metros runs from $39,690 to $46,540 a year, against $44,310 for the whole state and $45,010 for the whole country.
BLS reports a national median of $45,010 a year for office clerks, general (the lowest-paid tenth earn under $30,310 and the highest-paid tenth over $64,680). Employment is projected to change by -6.0% between 2025 and 2035, with about 249,000 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.
Office clerks, general in Iowa: the highest median pay is in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA area ($46,540 a year); the most jobs are in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA area (6,010). Statewide the median is $44,310 with 23,120 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 | 6,010 | $46,540 | $31,600 | $62,180 | 0.94 | 30% | 91.7 |
| Iowa City, IA | 1,230 | $46,480 | $31,200 | $62,300 | 0.83 | 28% | 91.5 |
| Ames, IA | 710 | $45,450 | $30,770 | $62,820 | 0.80 | 26% | 88.8 |
| Dubuque, IA | 920 | $44,980 | $30,320 | $61,750 | 0.99 | 26% | 87.3 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | 2,020 | $44,780 | $31,110 | $62,460 | 0.92 | 25% | 89.0 |
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | 820 | $44,060 | $29,710 | $60,880 | 0.69 | 27% | 86.5 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | 1,220 | $43,980 | $29,000 | $61,200 | 0.91 | 27% | 87.1 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | 2,370 | $42,340 | $31,200 | $60,500 | 0.83 | 27% | 89.1 |
| Omaha, NE-IA | 4,400 | $39,690 | $29,240 | $55,990 | 0.56 | 36% | 91.9 |
National page: Office clerks, general →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 $46,540 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025; metro areas with at least 100 jobs).
In the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA area, with 6,010 jobs.