Estimated — not yet source-verified.Estimated - not yet source-verified. This cost range is a general knowledge estimate we have not yet confirmed against current regional pricing data. Treat it as a rough guide only and get local contractor quotes.
Contractor costs in Iowa
Regional labor cost ranges for common DIY projects in Iowa. These are estimates for planning purposes - always get multiple quotes from licensed local contractors.
Construction labor wages in Iowa
Official BLS data · OEWS 2024The actual pay range for 18 building trades in Iowa — 10th percentile, median, and 90th percentile hourly wages straight from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is the verified labor-cost floor behind the project estimates below, not a national average.
Scroll the table horizontally to compare all wage columns. Keyboard: focus the table, then use the arrow keys.
| Trade | 10th %ile | Median /hr | 90th %ile | Employed in IA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction supervisors | $25.13 | $37.47 | $50.04 | 10,120 |
| Carpenters | $18.18 | $26.00 | $35.77 | 6,650 |
| Cement masons & concrete finishers | $18.50 | $26.27 | $34.85 | 2,860 |
| Drywall & ceiling-tile installers | $17.90 | $24.01 | $31.66 | 530 |
| Tapers | $31.38 | $31.46 | $34.35 | 70 |
| Tile & stone setters | $19.91 | $25.00 | $36.88 | 320 |
| Floor layers (non-carpet) | $9.71 | $26.22 | $37.59 | 240 |
| Carpet installers | $13.75 | $19.53 | $26.63 | 50 |
| Painters | $17.67 | $23.45 | $31.85 | 1,730 |
| Glaziers | $17.79 | $29.94 | $37.25 | 480 |
| Insulation workers | $17.97 | $23.54 | $34.93 | 340 |
| Brickmasons & blockmasons | $21.21 | $30.52 | $37.99 | 410 |
| Roofers | $17.88 | $22.65 | $33.23 | 1,070 |
| Electricians | $18.73 | $30.23 | $41.77 | 8,900 |
| Plumbers & pipefitters | $20.12 | $29.44 | $44.56 | 6,350 |
| HVAC technicians | $18.17 | $28.60 | $41.23 | 3,990 |
| Equipment operators | $23.00 | $29.43 | $40.45 | 5,440 |
| Construction laborers | $17.74 | $22.93 | $29.56 | 13,420 |
How building-trade pay has moved since 2019
Median hourly wage by year for Iowa's headline trades — a 6-year OEWS series (2019–2024) that deepens with each annual BLS release.
$21.15 in 2019 → $26.00 in 2024
$26.89 in 2019 → $30.23 in 2024
$27.57 in 2019 → $29.44 in 2024
$17.79 in 2019 → $22.93 in 2024
State-specific BLS wage signals
These comparisons are calculated from the same official OEWS 2024 rows above, so they vary by Iowa's actual trade mix instead of repeating a national average. These are worker wages, not contractor billing rates - a contractor's quote adds overhead, insurance, equipment, and margin.
Highest median wage in state
Construction supervisors
$37.47/hr
Source: BLS OEWS 2024
Largest reported construction trade
Construction laborers
13,420 employed
Source: BLS OEWS 2024
Biggest premium vs trade median
Floor layers (non-carpet)
+$2.68/hr vs $23.54
Median across states with this BLS trade row, OEWS 2024
Fastest median-wage growth
Glaziers
+ 72% since 2019
Source: BLS OEWS 2019-2024
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS 2019–2024. These are worker wages, not contractor billing rates — a contractor's quote adds overhead, insurance, equipment, and margin (commonly 1.5–3× the base wage).
Find a contractor in Iowa
When a project is beyond DIY scale, get quotes from licensed local contractors. Always verify contractor license status with Iowa's contractor licensing board.