Accountant salary in the Northwest Iowa nonmetro area
Hiring an accountant costs less in the Northwest Iowa nonmetro area than in Iowa or the country as a whole. The median is $76,540 a year1: 1.2% below the Iowa statewide median of $77,440 and 8.5% below the US median of $83,680. Among US areas it comes in at #261 of 521. About 940 accountants work here, 7% of the Iowa total.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Northwest Iowa nonmetro area against Iowa and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest Iowa (Nonmetro) | $47,680 | $76,540 | $118,740 | |
| Iowa | $51,420 | $77,440 | $123,700 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
The middle half of accountants in the Northwest Iowa nonmetro area earns $59,430–$95,390. The top tenth earns $118,740 or more, 2.5 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.6 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $35,960 wide, against $36,060 across Iowa and $42,790 nationally: employers in the Northwest Iowa nonmetro area pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for an accountant here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $47,680 | $3,973 | $22.92 | $61,523 |
| 25th percentile | $59,430 | $4,952 | $28.57 | $76,684 |
| Median | $76,540 | $6,378 | $36.80 | $98,761 |
| 75th percentile | $95,390 | $7,949 | $45.86 | $123,084 |
| 90th percentile | $118,740 | $9,895 | $57.09 | $153,213 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $18,850 a year in pay and about $24,323 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $17,110 in pay. These percentiles describe what people in the job earn locally, not experience levels, so place your offer by the tasks and seniority you need.
For scale, the US median of $83,680 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in the Northwest Iowa nonmetro area, and the Iowa statewide median of $77,440 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the Northwest Iowa nonmetro area
Pay is only part of it. Benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, which adds about $22,221 to the $76,540 median and brings it to $98,761 a year. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.
We place executive assistants, customer support and e-commerce staff today; for accountants we answer within one business day whether we can help. Enter the monthly pay you have in mind to compare it with a local hire. The fee field shows our standard fee3; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool4.
Other roles in the Northwest Iowa nonmetro area
Of the 17 roles we track in the Northwest Iowa nonmetro area, this one ranks #2 by median pay, after project coordinators ($81,210); recruiters come next at $63,250.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +6.1% | 340 | |
| Accountant | this role | 940 | |
| Recruiter | -17.4% | 590 | |
| Office Manager | -18.3% | 790 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -25.6% | 530 |
Measured against the US median, accountants rank #7 of the 17 roles we track in the Northwest Iowa nonmetro area (-8.5%), between HR assistants (-7.6%) and payroll specialists (-9.0%). The typical role here is at -10.0%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Accountants hold 9.5% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the Northwest Iowa nonmetro area, 9.7% across Iowa and 9.1% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Iowa
Across the 12 areas of Iowa with data for this job, the median runs from $70,190 in the Southwest Iowa nonmetro area to $79,320 in Ames, a gap of $9,130 a year. Of the 4 areas in Iowa with more accountants than the Northwest Iowa nonmetro area, 1 pays less: the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area ($75,390).
| Area | Median | vs the Northwest Iowa nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sioux City, IA-NE | +2.8% | 520 | |
| Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | +1.4% | 1,560 | |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | +0.8% | 1,190 | |
| Northwest Iowa (Nonmetro) | this area | 940 | |
| Northeast Iowa (Nonmetro) | -0.0% | 680 | |
| Southeast Iowa (Nonmetro) | -1.5% | 1,270 | |
| Iowa City, IA | -1.9% | 790 |
the Northwest Iowa nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Northwest Iowa nonmetro area is #208 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Iowa, Bloomington and Mankato pay just above the Northwest Iowa nonmetro area and Harrisonburg and Bloomington just below. All four are within $120 a year of the median in the Northwest Iowa nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Northwest Iowa nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duluth, MN-WI | +1.1% | 940 | jobs | |
| Mankato, MN | +0.2% | 400 | pay | |
| Bloomington, IN | +0.1% | 480 | pay | |
| Northwest Iowa (Nonmetro) | this area | 940 | ||
| Harrisonburg, VA | -0.0% | 450 | pay | |
| Bloomington, IL | -0.0% | 750 | pay | |
| Lubbock, TX | -2.8% | 960 | jobs | |
| Columbia, MO | -4.5% | 930 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in Northwest Iowa (Nonmetro)?
About $98,761 a year at the median, or $8,230 a month: $76,540 in pay plus about $22,221 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for accountants in the Northwest Iowa nonmetro area?
The median was $76,540 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $47,680, the 90th $118,740, and the middle half earned $59,430 to $95,390.
Is the Northwest Iowa nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Iowa for accountants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $76,540 against $77,440 statewide. The next area up in Iowa is Cedar Rapids at $77,180, the next down the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area at $76,520.
How many accountants work in the Northwest Iowa nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 940 in the May 2025 survey. That is 7% of the Iowa total of 13,210. 4 areas in Iowa have more; the closest in size is Cedar Rapids, with about 1,190.
Does an accountant cost more than a recruiter in the Northwest Iowa nonmetro area?
Yes: $13,290 a year more at the median. The medians are $76,540 and $63,250.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 13-2011: bls.gov
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
- Stafka pricing: stafka.com
- Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.