Operations manager salary in Iowa
The median operations manager in Iowa earns $87,690 a year, or $42.16 an hour, in the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ May 2025 survey. That is 17% below the national median of $105,770, and 45th of the 54 states and territories BLS publishes.
The middle half of Iowa’s 30,760 operations managers earn between $60,200 and $129,990. The highest paying metro area in the state is Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA, at $98,780.
Liaison does the routine half of an operations manager’s job for 6% of what one costs in Iowa. See how.
Operations manager salary by city in Iowa
Every metro area in Iowa where BLS publishes a median for operations managers, highest first. A metro that crosses a state line appears under each of its states.
| Metro area | Median annual | Median hourly | Middle half earns | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $98,780 | $47.49 | $65,010 to $144,990 | 8,370 |
| Ames, IA | $97,700 | $46.97 | $62,510 to $143,840 | 1,040 |
| Dubuque, IA | $92,530 | $44.49 | $61,880 to $134,480 | 1,170 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $91,140 | $43.82 | $61,630 to $135,490 | 3,750 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | $90,620 | $43.57 | $60,190 to $130,840 | 2,860 |
| Omaha, NE-IA | $90,620 | $43.57 | $64,330 to $135,750 | 11,430 |
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $90,230 | $43.38 | $60,840 to $135,870 | 1,250 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $82,400 | $39.62 | $57,960 to $122,980 | 1,510 |
| Iowa City, IA | $81,120 | $39.00 | $59,990 to $126,000 | 1,600 |
What an operations manager costs an employer in Iowa
Wages are the start. At employers with fewer than 50 workers, benefits add 35% on top (BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation), so an operations manager at the Iowa median costs about $118,400 a year. The employer’s view for every state and metro is on what an operations manager costs, and the routine part of the job is what Liaison does inside the tools a business already runs.
The routine half of an operations manager’s job, for 6% of what one costs in Iowa.
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Professional is $629 a month, $7,548 a year, against about $118,400 a year for an operations manager at the Iowa median once benefits are added. On Professional we connect your tools, bring your data in and set up the first rules with you. Anything that moves money waits for your yes.
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Questions
How much does an operations manager make in Iowa?
The median operations manager in Iowa earned $87,690 a year, or $42.16 an hour, in May 2025. The middle half earned between $60,200 and $129,990. Nationally the median is $105,770, so Iowa pays 17% less than the country as a whole.
Which cities in Iowa pay operations managers the most?
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA ($98,780), Ames, IA ($97,700) and Dubuque, IA ($92,530).
What does an operations manager cost an employer in Iowa?
Benefits at employers with fewer than 50 workers add 35% on top of wages, so an operations manager at the Iowa median costs about $118,400 a year. The employer’s view is at useliaison.com/back-office-costs/operations-manager.
Operations manager salary in other states
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, occupation 11-1021. Annual figures assume 2,080 hours a year. Updated 2026-10-02.
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