Paralegal salary in Iowa City, IA
No other area in Iowa pays paralegals more than Iowa City: the median is $66,400 a year1. That is 21.7% above the Iowa statewide median of $54,550, and 5.6% above the US median of $62,890. Only 41 of 506 US areas pay more for this job. BLS counts about 330 people in this job here, 11% of the Iowa total.
BLS occupation 23-2011, area Iowa City, IA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Iowa City against Iowa and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa City, IA | $48,680 | $66,400 | $105,010 | |
| Iowa | $37,900 | $54,550 | $83,520 | |
| United States | $44,740 | $62,890 | $101,500 |
Paralegals at the 90th percentile earn $105,010, 2.2 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.3. The middle half of paralegals in Iowa City earns $54,730–$83,520. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $28,790 wide, between the figure for Iowa ($18,740) and the US figure ($29,740).
What to budget for a paralegal here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $48,680 | $4,057 | $23.40 | $62,813 |
| 25th percentile | $54,730 | $4,561 | $26.31 | $70,619 |
| Median | $66,400 | $5,533 | $31.92 | $85,677 |
| 75th percentile | $83,520 | $6,960 | $40.15 | $107,768 |
| 90th percentile | $105,010 | $8,751 | $50.49 | $135,497 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $11,670 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $17,120, or about $22,090 once benefits are added. 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 $62,890 falls between the 25th percentile and the median in Iowa City, and the Iowa statewide median of $54,550 falls between the 10th and 25th percentiles.
What a hire really costs in Iowa City
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 $19,277 to the $66,400 median and brings it to $85,677 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 paralegals 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 Iowa City
Of the 16 roles we track in Iowa City, this one ranks #5 by median pay, between office managers ($66,430) and marketing specialists ($63,790). Project Coordinator is the highest at $96,820.
| Role | Median | vs paralegal | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recruiter | +7.1% | 480 | |
| Office Manager | +0.0% | 600 | |
| Paralegal | this role | 330 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -3.9% | 460 | |
| Executive Assistant | -5.5% | 430 |
Measured against the US median, paralegals rank #3 of the 16 roles we track in Iowa City (+5.6%), between medical administrative assistants (+9.1%) and virtual receptionists (+1.9%). The typical role here is at -4.5%, so, measured against the US, paralegals cost more in Iowa City than the area's general pay level would suggest. Paralegals hold 4.1% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Iowa City, 2.2% across Iowa and 2.5% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Iowa
Across the 12 areas of Iowa with data for this job, the median runs from $47,870 in the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area to $66,400 in Iowa City, a gap of $18,530 a year. The one area in Iowa with more paralegals, Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA ($60,080), pays less: a bigger pool at a lower median.
| Area | Median | vs Iowa City | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa City, IA | this area | 330 | |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | -9.5% | 1,190 | |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | -13.5% | 310 | |
| Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | -14.1% | 280 | |
| Sioux City, IA-NE | -15.5% | 80 | |
| Dubuque, IA | -16.1% | 80 | |
| Ames, IA | -19.9% | 60 |
Iowa City against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Iowa City is #147 of 503 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the top quarter of US areas. Outside Iowa, Atlantic City-Hammonton and Las Vegas-Henderson pay just above Iowa City and Anchorage and Boulder just below. All four are within $320 a year of the median in Iowa City. Of the three markets with about as many paralegals, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Iowa City | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Las Vegas-Henderson, NV | +0.5% | 2,660 | pay | |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | +0.2% | 330 | pay | |
| Iowa City, IA | this area | 330 | ||
| Anchorage, AK | -0.3% | 390 | pay | |
| Boulder, CO | -0.5% | 400 | pay | |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | -4.7% | 330 | jobs | |
| Lancaster, PA | -7.0% | 330 | jobs | |
| Lubbock, TX | -31.1% | 340 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a paralegal in Iowa City, IA?
About $85,677 a year at the median, or $7,140 a month: $66,400 in pay plus about $19,277 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do paralegals earn in Iowa City?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $66,400 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $48,680, the 90th $105,010, and the middle half earned $54,730 to $83,520.
Is Iowa City the most expensive area in Iowa for paralegals?
Yes. Its median of $66,400 is the highest of 12 areas in Iowa. Des Moines-West Des Moines comes next at $60,080.
How many paralegals work in Iowa City?
BLS counts about 330 in the May 2025 survey. That is 11% of the Iowa total of 2,980. Only Des Moines-West Des Moines has more in Iowa.
Does a paralegal cost more than a marketing specialist in Iowa City?
Yes: $2,610 a year more at the median. The medians are $66,400 and $63,790.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 23-2011: 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.