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Iowa Department of Natural Resources salary estimate

$37,797yearly

$18.17 hourly rate

Entry-level salary
$22,000 yearly salary
Updated December 15, 2025

Iowa Department of Natural Resources Salary Insights

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources offers a competitive average salary of $37,797 in 2025. This figure reflects the agency's commitment to attracting talent dedicated to preserving Iowa's natural resources. Salaries vary across different departments, with opportunities in research and development often offering higher compensation. For instance, the best-paying roles typically include specialized positions that require advanced qualifications and experience.

In addition to competitive salaries, employees benefit from a comprehensive range of perks, including health benefits and retirement plans. Understanding the salary distribution by department can help job seekers identify the best opportunities within the agency. Departments focused on environmental protection or wildlife management may present higher earning potential, making them attractive options for those passionate about conservation efforts.

In summary, whether you’re entering the job market or looking to advance your career, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources presents valuable opportunities with attractive compensation packages.

Highest paying jobs at Iowa Department of Natural Resources

The highest paying jobs at Iowa Department of Natural Resources are information technology project manager, adjunct professor, information technology specialist, and consulting engineer. Information technology project manager jobs at Iowa Department of Natural Resources earn an average yearly salary of $69,656, Iowa Department of Natural Resources adjunct professor jobs average $67,743, and Iowa Department of Natural Resources information technology specialist jobs average $65,813.

The lowest paying Iowa Department of Natural Resources roles include farm hand and camp counselor. Iowa Department of Natural Resources farm hand average salary is $24,653 per year. So while the average Iowa Department of Natural Resources salary is $37,797 there is a big variation in pay depending on the role.

Highest paying jobs at Iowa Department of Natural Resources

RankJob titleAverage Iowa Department of Natural Resources salaryHourly rate
1Information Technology Project Manager$69,656$33.49
2Adjunct Professor$67,743$32.57
3Information Technology Specialist$65,813$31.64
4Consulting Engineer$65,409$31.45
5Lead Programmer$61,092$29.37
6Student Attorney$60,552$29.11
7Bureau Chief$59,017$28.37
8Research Director$58,973$28.35
9Division Administrator$57,799$27.79
10GIS Analyst$57,773$27.78
11Lecturer$55,834$26.84
12Systems Analyst Programmer$54,720$26.31
13Natural Resource Specialist$48,565$23.35
14Environmental Engineer$48,204$23.18
15Massage Therapist$46,927$22.56
16Certified Instructor$46,904$22.55
17Public Relations Representative$46,482$22.35
18Doctoral Student$43,479$20.90
19Contracts Administrator$40,543$19.49
20Program Coordinator$39,391$18.94

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Iowa Department of Natural Resources salaries by department

Salaries at Iowa Department of Natural Resources vary depending on the department you work in. Iowa Department of Natural Resources salaries in the it department are the highest with an average salary of $59,079. Employees in the engineering department at Iowa Department of Natural Resources receive relatively high salaries as well, with an average salary of $51,853 per year. Departments that don't pay as well at Iowa Department of Natural Resources include the facilities and the hospitality/service organizational functions, with employees earning average salaries of $27,008 and $29,030, respectively.

Average Iowa Department of Natural Resources salary by department

RankDepartmentAverage Iowa Department of Natural Resources salaryHourly rate
1IT$59,079$28.40
2Engineering$51,853$24.93
3Marketing$48,687$23.41
4Plant/Manufacturing$47,403$22.79
5Education$46,654$22.43
6Finance$45,966$22.10
7Research & Development$39,975$19.22
8Legal$37,990$18.26
9Construction$33,400$16.06
10Non Profit/Government$33,049$15.89
11Customer Service$32,673$15.71
12Administrative$31,270$15.03
13Hospitality/Service$29,030$13.96
14Facilities$27,009$12.99

How much does Iowa Department of Natural Resources pay by department?

Best paying Iowa Department of Natural Resources research & development salaries

RankPositionAverage Iowa Department of Natural Resources salaryHourly rate
1Research Director$58,973$28.35
2Natural Resource Specialist$48,565$23.35
3Environmental Engineer$48,204$23.18
4Doctoral Student$43,479$20.90
5Environmental Specialist$43,445$20.89
6Wildlife Technician$30,485$14.66
7Natural Resource Technician$30,147$14.49
8Research Assistant$29,685$14.27

Best paying Iowa Department of Natural Resources non profit/government salaries

RankPositionAverage Iowa Department of Natural Resources salaryHourly rate
1Bureau Chief$59,017$28.37
2Program Coordinator$39,391$18.94
3Interpretive Naturalist$35,474$17.05
4Park Ranger$34,738$16.70
5Parks And Recreation Manager$33,600$16.15
6Program Assistant$32,018$15.39
7Patrol Officer$31,714$15.25

Best paying Iowa Department of Natural Resources administrative salaries

RankPositionAverage Iowa Department of Natural Resources salaryHourly rate
1Division Administrator$57,799$27.79
2Creel Clerk$37,853$18.20
3Administrative Assistant/Technical$31,578$15.18
4Clerical Specialist$28,578$13.74
5Student Internship$27,311$13.13
6Data Entry Internship$27,304$13.13
7Receptionist$26,911$12.94
8Student Employee$25,486$12.25

Iowa Department of Natural Resources competitors’ average salaries

Average salaries at Iowa Department of Natural Resources competitors, like Texas Commission on Fire Protection, Wildlife International, and California Department of Technology, vary. Texas Commission on Fire Protection employees earn the highest salaries, with an average yearly salary of $58,625. The average salary at Wildlife International is $52,439 per year, and the average salary at California Department of Technology is $50,564 per year.

Highest paying Iowa Department of Natural Resources competitors

Recently added Iowa Department of Natural Resources salaries

JobLocationDate addedSalary
IT Project Manager 2 (Infrastructure &/OR Software Design Projects)Columbus, OH06/27/2025$94,854
Custodial WorkerColumbus, OH06/21/2025$39,382
Forest ManagerZanesville, OH06/19/2025$64,614
Natural Resources Technician 1 (Barkcamp State Park)Belmont, OH06/18/2025$40,634
Human Capital Management Senior Analyst (Workforce Acquisition)Columbus, OH05/23/2025$64,614

What employees say about salary at Iowa Department of Natural Resources

Employee reviews
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5.0
A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2021
Pros of working at Iowa Department of Natural Resources

Work environment, pay, benefits

Cons of working at Iowa Department of Natural Resources

Office work only now, politixs

Iowa Department of Natural Resources benefits

Health Insurance

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5.0
A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2020
Pros of working at Iowa Department of Natural Resources

I liked working outside

Cons of working at Iowa Department of Natural Resources

I did not like the heat all day

Iowa Department of Natural Resources benefits

Working with a crew/free food

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Frequently asked questions about Iowa Department of Natural Resources salaries

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Zippia gives an in-depth look into the details of Iowa Department of Natural Resources, including salaries, political affiliations, employee data, and more, in order to inform job seekers about Iowa Department of Natural Resources. The employee data is based on information from people who have self-reported their past or current employments at Iowa Department of Natural Resources. The data on this page is also based on data sources collected from public and open data sources on the Internet and other locations, as well as proprietary data we licensed from other companies. Sources of data may include, but are not limited to, the BLS, company filings, estimates based on those filings, H1B filings, and other public and private datasets. While we have made attempts to ensure that the information displayed are correct, Zippia is not responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from the use of this information. None of the information on this page has been provided or approved by Iowa Department of Natural Resources. The data presented on this page does not represent the view of Iowa Department of Natural Resources and its employees or that of Zippia.

Iowa Department of Natural Resources may also be known as or be related to Iowa Department of Natural Resources and Natural Resources.