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Iowa State University offers a varied salary structure, with average annual salaries pegged at $41,305. The highest paying roles include associate scientist at $71,213, program manager at $65,647, and systems analyst at $64,497. These positions reflect the university's commitment to attracting skilled professionals in critical areas.
On the other hand, entry-level roles, such as student workers, have an average salary of $23,754, illustrating a significant wage gap within the institution. The engineering department leads in pay, with an average of $57,368, while marketing and administrative roles report lower average salaries of $39,301 and $29,110, respectively.
When compared to similar institutions, Iowa State University stands competitive. For example, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute averages $60,059, while University of Iowa Center for Advancement has $55,411. This information is crucial for job seekers looking to navigate their career paths within the academic sector.
The highest paying jobs at Iowa State University are associate scientist, program manager, systems analyst, and web developer. Associate scientist jobs at Iowa State University earn an average yearly salary of $71,213, Iowa State University program manager jobs average $65,647, and Iowa State University systems analyst jobs average $64,497.
The lowest paying Iowa State University roles include student worker and student employee. Iowa State University student worker average salary is $23,754 per year. So while the average Iowa State University salary is $41,305 there is a big variation in pay depending on the role.
| Rank | Job title | Average Iowa State University salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Associate Scientist | $71,213 | $34.24 |
| 2 | Program Manager | $65,647 | $31.56 |
| 3 | Systems Analyst | $64,497 | $31.01 |
| 4 | Web Developer | $60,124 | $28.91 |
| 5 | Instructor | $58,336 | $28.05 |
| 6 | Lecturer | $55,083 | $26.48 |
| 7 | Doctoral Fellow | $55,019 | $26.45 |
| 8 | Postdoctoral Research Associate | $52,733 | $25.35 |
| 9 | Dietetic Internship | $50,956 | $24.50 |
| 10 | Researcher | $50,237 | $24.15 |
| 11 | Program Coordinator | $49,235 | $23.67 |
| 12 | Laboratory Monitor | $47,003 | $22.60 |
| 13 | Graphic Designer | $46,669 | $22.44 |
| 14 | Community Advisor | $42,174 | $20.28 |
| 15 | Personal Trainer | $39,285 | $18.89 |
| 16 | Research Assistant | $35,588 | $17.11 |
| 17 | Laboratory Technician | $34,869 | $16.76 |
| 18 | Teaching Assistant | $26,891 | $12.93 |
| 19 | Tutor | $25,893 | $12.45 |
| 20 | Peer Mentor | $24,256 | $11.66 |
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Salaries at Iowa State University vary depending on the department you work in. Iowa State University salaries in the engineering department are the highest with an average salary of $57,368. Employees in the it department at Iowa State University receive relatively high salaries as well, with an average salary of $52,316 per year. Departments that don't pay as well at Iowa State University include the administrative and the marketing organizational functions, with employees earning average salaries of $29,110 and $39,301, respectively.
| Rank | Department | Average Iowa State University salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Engineering | $57,368 | $27.58 |
| 2 | IT | $52,316 | $25.15 |
| 3 | Healthcare | $44,483 | $21.39 |
| 4 | Education | $43,739 | $21.03 |
| 5 | Non Profit/Government | $42,222 | $20.30 |
| 6 | Research & Development | $41,675 | $20.04 |
| 7 | Marketing | $39,302 | $18.90 |
| 8 | Administrative | $29,110 | $14.00 |
| Rank | Position | Average Iowa State University salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Associate Scientist | $71,213 | $34.24 |
| 2 | Assistant Scientist | $71,034 | $34.15 |
| 3 | Postdoctoral Research Associate | $52,733 | $25.35 |
| 4 | Researcher | $50,237 | $24.15 |
| 5 | Laboratory Monitor | $47,003 | $22.60 |
| 6 | Research Assistant | $35,588 | $17.11 |
| 7 | Laboratory Technician | $34,869 | $16.76 |
| Rank | Position | Average Iowa State University salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Building Manager | $70,118 | $33.71 |
| 2 | Instructor | $58,336 | $28.05 |
| 3 | Lecturer | $55,083 | $26.48 |
| 4 | Instructional Designer | $52,182 | $25.09 |
| 5 | Intramural Supervisor | $49,418 | $23.76 |
| 6 | Strength And Conditioning Coach | $46,608 | $22.41 |
| 7 | Strength And Conditioning Internship | $44,124 | $21.21 |
| 8 | Teaching Fellow | $40,411 | $19.43 |
| 9 | Student Athlete | $39,966 | $19.21 |
| 10 | Building Supervisor | $36,535 | $17.56 |
| 11 | Graduate Assistant | $32,835 | $15.79 |
| 12 | Teaching Assistant | $26,891 | $12.93 |
| 13 | Tutor | $25,893 | $12.45 |
| 14 | Peer Mentor | $24,256 | $11.66 |
| Rank | Position | Average Iowa State University salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Caller | $43,162 | $20.75 |
| 2 | Building Coordinator | $42,494 | $20.43 |
| 3 | Administrative Specialist | $35,611 | $17.12 |
| 4 | Test Proctor | $34,468 | $16.57 |
| 5 | Project Management Internship | $33,667 | $16.19 |
| 6 | Administrative Assistant | $31,955 | $15.36 |
| 7 | Data Entry Clerk | $29,332 | $14.10 |
| 8 | Data Entry Technician | $28,735 | $13.81 |
| 9 | Office Clerk | $28,047 | $13.48 |
| 10 | Office Assistant | $27,971 | $13.45 |
| 11 | Receptionist | $27,929 | $13.43 |
| 12 | Secretary | $26,694 | $12.83 |
| 13 | Student Employee | $23,815 | $11.45 |
| 14 | Student Worker | $23,755 | $11.42 |
Average salaries at Iowa State University competitors, like Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, University of Iowa Center for Advancement, and Michigan State University, vary. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute employees earn the highest salaries, with an average yearly salary of $60,059. The average salary at University of Iowa Center for Advancement is $55,411 per year, and the average salary at Michigan State University is $54,517 per year.
| Rank | Company name | Zippia score | Average salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | 4.5 | $60,059 |
| 2 | University of Iowa Center for Advancement | 4.4 | $55,411 |
| 3 | Michigan State University | 4.7 | $54,517 |
| 4 | University of Washington | 4.4 | $53,857 |
| 5 | Case Western Reserve University | 4.0 | $51,133 |
| 6 | University of Wisconsin System | 4.3 | $50,687 |
| 7 | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign | 4.6 | $46,880 |
| 8 | University of Tennessee | 4.4 | $46,574 |
| 9 | Arizona State University | 4.0 | $45,751 |
| 10 | University of Notre Dame | 4.5 | $45,427 |
| 11 | University of North Carolina | 4.2 | $45,381 |
| 12 | University of California Press | 3.6 | $45,299 |
| 13 | University of Arizona Foundation | 4.5 | $45,053 |
| 14 | University of Delaware | 4.2 | $44,379 |
| 15 | University of Florida | 4.5 | $44,102 |
| 16 | University | 4.1 | $43,739 |
| 17 | Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi | 4.4 | $40,850 |
| 18 | University of Illinois System | 4.5 | $40,802 |
| 19 | University of Minnesota | 4.5 | $40,653 |
| 20 | University of Texas System | 3.6 | $40,318 |
| Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Associate for Athletics Marketing | Ames, IA | 03/28/2025 | $29,218 |
| HR Assistant & Receptionist | Ames, IA | 03/27/2025 | $39,653 |
| Clinical Associate Professor | Ames, IA | 03/20/2025 | $135,000 |
| Research Scientist II | Ames, IA | 03/20/2025 | $67,000 |
| Assistant Professor | Ames, IA | 03/20/2025 | $70,000 |
The people and the culture are great
The pay is pretty bad. But that is typical of a state job
The people
As a student they offered a good work study job at the IT solution Center. This allowed for me to have a flexible schedule while working and going to class.
Pay was low for an IT job.
Flexible Schedule.
Zippia gives an in-depth look into the details of Iowa State University, including salaries, political affiliations, employee data, and more, in order to inform job seekers about Iowa State University. The employee data is based on information from people who have self-reported their past or current employments at Iowa State University. 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 State University. The data presented on this page does not represent the view of Iowa State University and its employees or that of Zippia.
Iowa State University may also be known as or be related to Iowa State University.