Quick answer: Iowa employs about 3,050 chief executives (BLS OEWS, May 2025), and licensing runs through the human resources office of the government or agency you want to work for. Programs, the careers this degree opens, and what they pay are below.
Compare public administration programs enrolling now:
Licensing and Credentials in Iowa
No state licenses public administrators as such. Hiring is governed by each government’s own civil service classification and posting requirements, and the degree - usually the MPA - satisfies the educational requirement attached to management and executive classifications. Certified public manager programs and ICMA credentialing stack on top of the degree.
Requirements are set at state level and are amended periodically. Before you enroll in any program, confirm with the human resources office of the government or agency you want to work for that the specific program you are considering satisfies the education requirement, and ask what it accepts from any training you have already completed. Get the answer in writing.
Earning the Degree While You Work
Most people reading this already have a job in the field, and the practical question is whether the credential can be earned without leaving it. Programs designed for working adults deliver the academic portion online or in the evening, while any labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience happen in person and locally. Prior college credit, military training, apprenticeship coursework and industry certifications can all shorten the path, so request a written transfer credit evaluation before you commit to any school.
Schools Near You
Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.
How we rank schools – graduation rate, graduate earnings, cost and retention.
Advertising plays no part.
This page lists 7 schools
within 175 miles, closest group first, then ordered by
BOC Score with the highest at the top.
7 of them carry a score.
LOCAL RANK
Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate how often students finish
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry whether it paid off
25%
Average net price what students actually pay after aid; lower ranks higher
20%
Retention rate how many come back for year two
15%
Fully online availability whether you can study while working
10%
Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal
about the institution rather than about this subject.
Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from
this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.
Chief Executives in Iowa earn a median $211,190 per year, below the national median of $213,990 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Public Administration Pay and Employment in Iowa at a Glance
Metric
Iowa
National
Source
Median annual wage
$211,190
$213,990
BLS OEWS, May 2025
10th percentile
$86,090
$75,700
BLS OEWS, May 2025
25th percentile
$136,440
$129,540
BLS OEWS, May 2025
75th percentile
$331,660
$356,200
BLS OEWS, May 2025
90th percentile
$365,320
$507,730
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Employment
3,050
204,350
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Location quotient
1.49
1.00
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Projected change (2024-34)
not published by state
4.3%
BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34
How Iowa Pay Compares to the Rest of the Country
The Iowa median of $211,190 sits below the national median of $213,990 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Percentiles matter more than the midpoint when you are deciding whether a degree pays for itself: the 10th percentile is roughly where people start, and the 90th is what the top of the local market looks like after years of experience.
A location quotient of 1.49 puts Iowa well above the national average, so the work is noticeably more common here than in the typical state. That usually means a deeper job market and more room to change employers without relocating (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The measure compares how concentrated the occupation is here against the national average of 1.00.
Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Government employment scales with government: county seats, state capitals and metros with many municipal governments carry the management and executive positions this degree targets.
Chief Executives Wages by Metro Area in Iowa
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), chief executives wages in Iowa vary by metro area.
Metro Area
Employment
Median Annual Wage
Avg. Annual Wage
Entry Level (10th pctile)
Experienced (90th pctile)
Omaha
1,330
$228,220
$288,100
$105,770
$530,980
Des Moines-West Des Moines
1,230
$290,870
$276,500
$96,550
$390,260
Cedar Rapids
290
$182,210
$203,900
$76,730
$340,790
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island
200
$205,030
$258,420
$94,130
$502,170
Sioux City
130
$220,590
$252,200
$86,570
$438,790
Ames
110
$206,090
$222,990
$94,390
$338,090
Iowa City
110
$205,340
$215,120
$70,760
$324,500
Waterloo-Cedar Falls
110
$199,010
$222,780
$76,450
$380,670
Dubuque
100
$212,880
$240,840
$80,460
$454,180
Wages reflect survey data and vary based on experience, credentials, employer, and local market conditions. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May .
Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do chief executives make in Iowa?
The median annual wage for chief executives in Iowa is $211,190, below the national median of $213,990 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle of the range runs from $136,440 at the 25th percentile to $331,660 at the 75th.
How many chief executives work in Iowa?
Iowa holds about 3,050 public administrator jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Nationally the occupation employs 204,350, and BLS projects about 22,200 openings per year through 2034 (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34).
Do I need a license to work as a public administrator in Iowa?
No state licenses public administrators as such. Hiring is governed by each government's own civil service classification and posting requirements, and the degree - usually the MPA - satisfies the educational requirement attached to management and executive classifications. Certified public manager programs and ICMA credentialing stack on top of the degree. Requirements are set at the state level and change periodically, so confirm the current rules with the human resources office of the government or agency you want to work for before you enroll in any program.
Can I earn a public administration bachelor's or MPA online while working in Iowa?
Often yes. Programs built for working adults deliver coursework online or in the evenings, though any required labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience are completed in person. Confirm that the program's accreditation satisfies the human resources office of the government or agency you want to work for.
What is the highest-paying area of Iowa for chief executives?
Among Iowa metro areas with published data, Des Moines reports the highest median at $290,870 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Is Iowa a good state for chief executives?
On pay, the state median of $211,190 sits below the national $213,990 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). A location quotient of 1.49 means the occupation is more concentrated here than in the average state. Weigh that against cost of living and how concentrated the work is near where you actually want to live.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Chief Executives (SOC 11-1011), national, state and metropolitan estimates
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook - education and licensing requirements
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
