Food Servers, Nonrestaurant pay in Iowa
$31,000avg. a year
$14.91 an hour · 5,270 employed
Food Servers, Nonrestaurant in Iowa earn an average of $31,000 a year. That is $5,140 (14%) less than the U.S. average of $36,140. The best-paying metro area is Omaha, NE-IA at $33,350.
$30,110Median pay
$14.91Average hourly
+22%Avg. pay since 2020
#43Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying Iowa metro areas
Average pay for food servers, nonrestaurant by metro area. Swipe to see all 9.
11,690 jobs
Omaha, NE-IA
$33,350
$16.03 an hour
21,060 jobs
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
$32,910
$15.82 an hour
3630 jobs
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL
$32,760
$15.75 an hour
4230 jobs
Dubuque, IA
$32,140
$15.45 an hour
5180 jobs
Ames, IA
$31,890
$15.33 an hour
6230 jobs
Sioux City, IA-NE-SD
$31,840
$15.31 an hour
7470 jobs
Cedar Rapids, IA
$31,360
$15.08 an hour
8250 jobs
Iowa City, IA
$30,570
$14.70 an hour
9390 jobs
Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
$28,920
$13.90 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Food Servers, Nonrestaurant pay in Iowa, charted
Pay over time
Iowa, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where Iowa food servers, nonrestaurant work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · Iowa highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $32k$32k–$34k$34k–$38k$38k+Iowa
Iowa vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $36,140 | $17.37 |
| Iowa | $31,000 | $14.91 |
| Minnesota | $37,010 | $17.79 |
| Illinois | $35,730 | $17.18 |
| Wisconsin | $35,080 | $16.86 |
| Missouri | $33,390 | $16.05 |
| South Dakota | $32,870 | $15.80 |
Related jobs in Iowa
- Fast Food and Counter Workers$28,940
- Waiters and Waitresses$26,940
- Bartenders$25,620
- Cooks, Restaurant$35,700
- First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$42,360
- Food Preparation Workers$32,080
Average pay, Iowa, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do food servers, nonrestaurant make in Iowa?
The average is $31,000 a year, and the median is $30,110. That is $5,140 (14%) less than the U.S. average of $36,140.
What is the hourly wage in Iowa?
$14.91 an hour on average; the median is $14.48.
Where in Iowa do they earn the most?
Omaha, NE-IA ($33,350), followed by Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA ($32,910). The lowest average among 9 metro areas with data is Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA ($28,920).
How does Iowa rank?
Iowa ranks #43 of 51 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 35-3041. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national food servers, nonrestaurant page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.