Project Coordinator salary in Iowa City, IA
For this job Iowa City sits right at the Iowa figure, with a median of $96,820 a year1. That is about level with the Iowa statewide median of $96,540, and 5.4% below the US median of $102,320. Among US areas it comes in at #179 of 518. About 420 project coordinators work here, 6% of the Iowa total.
BLS occupation 13-1082, 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 | $64,130 | $96,820 | $146,200 | |
| Iowa | $62,000 | $96,540 | $150,290 | |
| United States | $61,580 | $102,320 | $167,970 |
The middle half of project coordinators in Iowa City earns $77,800–$127,480. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $146,200, only 2.3 times the bottom tenth, against 2.7 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($108,370) is 12% over the median, so a group of high earners pulls the average up; price a typical hire from the median. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $49,680 wide, against $52,810 across Iowa and $54,660 nationally: employers in Iowa City pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for a project coordinator here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $64,130 | $5,344 | $30.83 | $82,748 |
| 25th percentile | $77,800 | $6,483 | $37.40 | $100,387 |
| Median | $96,820 | $8,068 | $46.55 | $124,929 |
| 75th percentile | $127,480 | $10,623 | $61.29 | $164,490 |
| 90th percentile | $146,200 | $12,183 | $70.29 | $188,645 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $30,660 over the median, the 25th only $19,020 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $39,561 a year in employer cost. 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 $102,320 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in Iowa City, and the Iowa statewide median of $96,540 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Iowa City
At the $96,820 median, a local hire costs about $124,929 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $28,109 here. 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 project coordinators 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
Project coordinators have the highest median of the 16 roles we track in Iowa City; virtual receptionists have the lowest, at $38,740.
| Role | Median | vs project coordinator | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | this role | 420 | |
| Accountant | -22.4% | 790 | |
| Recruiter | -26.5% | 480 | |
| Office Manager | -31.4% | 600 | |
| Paralegal | -31.4% | 330 |
Measured against the US median, project coordinators rank #10 of the 16 roles we track in Iowa City (-5.4%), between administrative assistants (-4.5%) and customer support specialists (-5.4%). The typical role here is at -4.5%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Project coordinators hold 5.2% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Iowa City, 4.9% across Iowa and 6.8% nationally. The job is a smaller 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 $81,210 in the Northwest Iowa nonmetro area to $104,690 in Dubuque, a gap of $23,480 a year. Of the 4 areas in Iowa with more project coordinators than Iowa City, 2 pay less: Cedar Rapids, IA ($93,760) and the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area ($84,430).
| Area | Median | vs Iowa City | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | +6.3% | 650 | |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | +4.5% | 2,640 | |
| Ames, IA | +0.5% | 260 | |
| Iowa City, IA | this area | 420 | |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | -3.2% | 850 | |
| Northeast Iowa (Nonmetro) | -11.8% | 260 | |
| Sioux City, IA-NE | -12.1% | 200 |
Iowa City against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Iowa City is #262 of 517 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Iowa, Ithaca and Slidell-Mandeville pay just above Iowa City and Spartanburg and Winchester just below. All four are within $210 a year of the median in Iowa City. Of the three markets with about as many project coordinators, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Iowa City | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | +5.1% | 420 | jobs | |
| Slidell-Mandeville, LA | +0.2% | 480 | pay | |
| Ithaca, NY | +0.1% | 240 | pay | |
| Iowa City, IA | this area | 420 | ||
| Spartanburg, SC | -0.0% | 820 | pay | |
| Winchester, VA-WV | -0.0% | 320 | pay | |
| Medford, OR | -6.0% | 420 | jobs | |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | -17.7% | 420 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a project coordinator in Iowa City, IA?
About $124,929 a year at the median, or $10,411 a month: $96,820 in pay plus about $28,109 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for project coordinators in Iowa City?
The median was $96,820 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $64,130, the 90th $146,200, and the middle half earned $77,800 to $127,480.
Is Iowa City cheaper than the rest of Iowa for project coordinators?
About the same: a median of $96,820 against $96,540 statewide. The next area up in Iowa is Ames at $97,290, the next down Cedar Rapids at $93,760.
How many project coordinators work in Iowa City?
BLS counts about 420 in the May 2025 survey. That is 6% of the Iowa total of 6,720. 4 areas in Iowa have more; the closest in size is the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area, with about 580.
Does a project coordinator cost more than an accountant in Iowa City?
Yes: $21,720 a year more at the median. The medians are $96,820 and $75,100.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 13-1082: 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.