Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Medical equipment preparers
- Median annual wage: $38,060
- Median hourly wage: $18.30
- Total employment: 160 people (1.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Iowa City
Uncertainty clouds the current job market. On one hand, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports unemployment rates at 4.2% as of May 2025—and that hasn't changed much in the past year, a typical indicator of a positive economy. At the same time, average weekly earnings have increased by 3.9% over the 12 months ending May 2025 to reach $1,243.03.
However, the American economy may soon shift. The Trump administration's federal budget cuts have eliminated tens of thousands of jobs, and constant changes in import tariffs leave companies unable to plan for their future employment needs.
With these factors in mind, minimum or low-wage jobs are increasingly unsustainable for most. In 2025, a full-time job at the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour puts a worker under the poverty threshold, according to the Economic Policy Institute. While states can opt to have higher minimum wages, 20 states are at or below the federal minimum as of 2025.
Salaries can also vary by gender, race, and educational attainment. According to a March 2025 report from the Pew Research Center, women's earnings are about 85% of men's, and women also remain overrepresented in low-paying jobs. Meanwhile, April 2025 BLS data shows that Hispanic workers' median earnings lag behind those of other race and ethnicity groups, and full-time workers without a high school diploma earned the least compared to their more educated counterparts.
It's important to note, though, that low pay doesn't always equal low job satisfaction. Some people feel drawn to a particular field, seek a certain work environment, or aim for work-life balance. No matter the reason, Stacker used BLS data to find the 50 lowest-paying jobs in Iowa City. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2024, so any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.
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Weerayuth Kanchanacharoen // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand
- Median annual wage: $38,000
- Median hourly wage: $18.27
- Total employment: 910 people (9.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ESB Basic // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Customer service representatives
- Median annual wage: $37,940
- Median hourly wage: $18.24
- Total employment: 1,170 people (12.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GagliardiPhotography // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Nursing assistants
- Median annual wage: $37,900
- Median hourly wage: $18.22
- Total employment: 1,200 people (13.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vasin Lee // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Residential advisors
- Median annual wage: $37,680
- Median hourly wage: $18.11
- Total employment: 50 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Phlebotomists
- Median annual wage: $37,290
- Median hourly wage: $17.93
- Total employment: 80 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Library assistants, clerical
- Median annual wage: $37,040
- Median hourly wage: $17.81
- Total employment: 120 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sergey Ryzhov // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $37,000
- Median hourly wage: $17.79
- Total employment: 40 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock
9 / 50#40. Bakers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $36,540
- Median hourly wage: $17.57
- Total employment: 140 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock
10 / 50#40. Parts salespersons (tie)
- Median annual wage: $36,540
- Median hourly wage: $17.57
- Total employment: 110 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Stockers and order fillers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $36,540
- Median hourly wage: $17.57
- Total employment: 1,420 people (15.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DSBfoto // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $36,300
- Median hourly wage: $17.45
- Total employment: 1,560 people (16.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors
- Median annual wage: $36,290
- Median hourly wage: $17.45
- Total employment: 140 people (1.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Cooks, institution and cafeteria
- Median annual wage: $36,230
- Median hourly wage: $17.42
- Total employment: 550 people (5.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Packers and packagers, hand
- Median annual wage: $36,220
- Median hourly wage: $17.41
- Total employment: 200 people (2.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Standret // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Bicycle repairers
- Median annual wage: $36,090
- Median hourly wage: $17.35
- Total employment: 40 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
- Median annual wage: $35,990
- Median hourly wage: $17.31
- Total employment: 130 people (1.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Cooks, restaurant
- Median annual wage: $35,880
- Median hourly wage: $17.25
- Total employment: 1,100 people (11.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Median annual wage: $35,740
- Median hourly wage: $17.18
- Total employment: 140 people (1.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Pharmacy aides
- Median annual wage: $35,130
- Median hourly wage: $16.89
- Total employment: 80 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $34,880
- Median hourly wage: $16.77
- Total employment: 1,630 people (17.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
MarijaBazarova // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Skincare specialists
- Median annual wage: $34,780
- Median hourly wage: $16.72
- Total employment: 30 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jason Person // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Cooks, short order
- Median annual wage: $34,710
- Median hourly wage: $16.69
- Total employment: 130 people (1.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
New Africa // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Receptionists and information clerks
- Median annual wage: $34,440
- Median hourly wage: $16.56
- Total employment: 270 people (2.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DuxX // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Butchers and meat cutters
- Median annual wage: $32,280
- Median hourly wage: $15.52
- Total employment: 160 people (1.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Pressmaster // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $32,050
- Median hourly wage: $15.41
- Total employment: 270 people (2.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $31,040
- Median hourly wage: $14.92
- Total employment: 430 people (4.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
- Median annual wage: $30,930
- Median hourly wage: $14.87
- Total employment: 60 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $30,570
- Median hourly wage: $14.70
- Total employment: 230 people (2.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $30,430
- Median hourly wage: $14.63
- Total employment: 250 people (2.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $30,420
- Median hourly wage: $14.63
- Total employment: 310 people (3.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $30,320
- Median hourly wage: $14.58
- Total employment: 180 people (1.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Martin Smith // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Parking attendants
- Median annual wage: $30,040
- Median hourly wage: $14.44
- Total employment: 50 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $29,610
- Median hourly wage: $14.23
- Total employment: 450 people (4.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Shakirov Albert // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Floral designers
- Median annual wage: $29,420
- Median hourly wage: $14.14
- Total employment: 30 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $29,210
- Median hourly wage: $14.04
- Total employment: 2,130 people (23.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $29,170
- Median hourly wage: $14.02
- Total employment: 250 people (2.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $29,140
- Median hourly wage: $14.01
- Total employment: 330 people (3.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
39 / 50#10. Food servers, nonrestaurant (tie)
- Median annual wage: $29,120
- Median hourly wage: $14.00
- Total employment: 230 people (2.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
40 / 50#10. Retail salespersons (tie)
- Median annual wage: $29,120
- Median hourly wage: $14.00
- Total employment: 2,460 people (26.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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DGLimages // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Community and social service specialists, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: $29,120
- Median hourly wage: $14.00
- Total employment: 30 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $29,040
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 1,220 people (13.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $28,800
- Median hourly wage: $13.84
- Total employment: 220 people (2.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $28,610
- Median hourly wage: $13.76
- Total employment: 2,380 people (25.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $28,520
- Median hourly wage: $13.71
- Total employment: 1,700 people (18.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $27,910
- Median hourly wage: $13.42
- Total employment: 440 people (4.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $27,740
- Median hourly wage: $13.34
- Total employment: 420 people (4.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aboutsung // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $27,250
- Median hourly wage: $13.10
- Total employment: 260 people (2.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $26,190
- Median hourly wage: $12.59
- Total employment: 250 people (2.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santypan // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $22,880
- Median hourly wage: $11.00
- Total employment: 750 people (8.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jill Jaracz, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 364 metros.
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