Excavation costs and wages in Iowa
What equipment operators and construction laborers earn in Iowa, how many excavation contractors are listed here and in which counties, and the state's licensing rules. Job prices aren't published for any one state, so our price ranges are national.
Checked October 2, 2026
Wages in Iowa
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators in Iowa earn a median of $29.01 an hour, or $60,330 a year (BLS, May 2025). Half of them earn between $25.77 and $34.93 an hour, the 25th to 75th percentiles (BLS state file). BLS counts 5,530 of these jobs in Iowa. That's above the national median of $28.78 an hour (BLS).
Construction laborers in Iowa earn a median of $23.31 an hour, or $48,490 a year (BLS, May 2025). Half of them earn between $21.90 and $28.11 an hour, the 25th to 75th percentiles (BLS state file). BLS counts 13,780 of these jobs in Iowa. That's above the national median of $22.66 an hour (BLS).
These are wages, not prices. A contractor's price also covers materials, equipment, insurance, overhead and profit, so a wage can't be turned into what a job costs you. BLS counts employees only, not the self-employed.
Contractors in Iowa
Iowa has 758 excavation contractors listed, and 511 of them hold an active USDOT registration. Of the counties with pages of their own, the largest are Polk County (45), Dubuque County (28), Linn County (22), Scott County (22) and Black Hawk County (21). Browse them by county, or ask for quotes and we'll match you with excavation contractors near you.
Permits and rules in Iowa
Iowa licenses contractors through the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL) (Iowa Code 91C.1 Definitions and applicability; Iowa Code 91C.2 Registration required, conditions; Contractor Registration | Department of Inspections, Appeals, & Licensing).
National price ranges
National price ranges for excavation, clearing, grading and driveway work, each credited to its source, are in our guides to excavation, land clearing, grading and driveway costs.
For a planning range on your own job, run the estimator.
Iowa against the national range
Published labor data puts the Midwest roughly 20% above the Southeast (SiteX).
That's an average across a region, not a price for your job, and local quotes vary inside it.
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Cite this page
“Excavation costs and wages in Iowa.” LeaderExcavation.com, updated October 2, 2026. https://leaderexcavation.com/ia/costs/