By State · Iowa

Women in Iowa: Pay, Representation, and Firsts

Everything the data says about women in Iowa — pay, legislature representation, historical firsts, and how the state ranks against the rest of the US.

79.4%
Women’s earnings as % of men’s in Iowa
Census ACS S2001
#35
of 51 US jurisdictions for pay equity (1 = highest)
Computed from state ratios
29.3%
Women in the Iowa state legislature
CAWP Rutgers 2024
#30
Rank for women’s legislative representation
Computed from CAWP data
2
Women from Iowa in 119th US Congress
CAWP 2025
2019
Year of first woman governor
CAWP State Executive

Where Iowa sits

Women in Iowa earn 79.4 cents for every dollar men earn — a gap of 20.6%. That puts Iowa #35 out of the 51 US jurisdictions on pay equity. The women-in-legislature figure of 29.3% ranks Iowa #30 nationally.

Notable firsts & figures

Joni Ernst (2015-present) — first woman combat veteran in the US Senate. Kim Reynolds (2017-present) — first woman governor.

Professions in Iowa

State-adjusted pay and gap figures for women in 20 common professions in Iowa. Each page combines national BLS medians with Iowa’s Census ACS wage environment.

SurgeonsWomen surgeons in IowaDoctorsWomen doctors in IowaLawyersWomen lawyers in IowaRegistered NursesWomen nurses in IowaSoftware DevelopersWomen software developers in IowaChief ExecutivesWomen CEOs in IowaEngineersWomen engineers in IowaElementary TeachersWomen teachers in IowaAccountantsWomen accountants in IowaProfessorsWomen professors in IowaDentistsWomen dentists in IowaPharmacistsWomen pharmacists in IowaArchitectsWomen architects in IowaPsychologistsWomen psychologists in IowaAirline PilotsWomen airline pilots in IowaElectriciansWomen electricians in IowaPlumbersWomen plumbers in IowaPolice OfficersWomen police officers in IowaJournalistsWomen journalists in IowaFinancial AnalystsWomen financial analysts in Iowa

Fields in Iowa

AcademiaWomen in Academia in IowaConstruction and the Skilled Trades (2026)Women in Construction and the Skilled Trades (2026) in IowaEngineeringWomen in Engineering in IowaFinanceWomen in Finance in IowaLawWomen in Law in IowaMedicineWomen in Medicine in IowaSportsWomen in Sports in IowaTechWomen in Tech in IowaUS PoliticsWomen in US Politics in Iowa

Related national data

HistoricalWomen at work, 2000 NationalWomen in US politics ToolPay Gap Lookup (Iowa) CompareWomen vs men at work HubAll 51 US states

Frequently asked

What is the gender pay gap in Iowa?

Women in Iowa earn 79.4% of what men earn — a gap of 20.6%. Census ACS S2001 data.

How many women are in Iowa’s state legislature?

29.3% of Iowa state legislators are women — rank #30 nationally among 51 US jurisdictions (CAWP 2024).

Has Iowa elected a woman governor?

Yes — the first woman governor of Iowa took office in 2019.

Has Iowa elected a woman US Senator?

Yes — the first woman US Senator from Iowa took office in 2014.

How many women does Iowa send to Congress?

2 women from Iowa serve in the 119th US Congress (House + Senate, 2025-27).