Iowa Energy Efficiency jobs: 21,088 employed (2024)
As of the 2025 U.S. Energy & Employment Report, Iowa employs 21,088 people in the energy efficiency sector — about 0.9% of the U.S. total. That makes Iowa the 30th-largest state for energy efficiency jobs nationwide.
Energy Efficiency Jobs in Iowa (2024)
National share: 0.89% of all U.S. energy efficiency jobs.
Typical Median Wage
1. Employment Landscape
Iowa ranks 30th out of 51 U.S. states in energy efficiency employment. At 21,088 workers, the state sits below the 25th-ranked Alabama’s tally by 10,462 jobs, and trails the national leader California by 291,002 energy efficiency workers.
1.1 Iowa’s position vs. the top 10 and median states
1.2 Share of U.S. total
The energy efficiency sector nationwide employs roughly 2,381,744 workers; Iowa accounts for 21,088 of them.
1.3 Where Iowa sits in its own mix
| Sector | Jobs (2024) | National rank |
|---|---|---|
| Energy Efficiency | 21,088 | #30 |
| Wind | 3,895 | #9 |
| Solar | 1,405 | #40 |
| Electric Vehicles | 1,190 | #25 |
| Storage & Grid | 901 | #30 |
| Nuclear | 626 | #27 |
| Clean Fuels | 231 | #25 |
| Hydropower | 125 | #40 |
1.4 Sub-sector breakdown in Iowa
Every energy efficiency-related sub-category reported for Iowa in the USEER workbook, ranked by employment.
2. Pay & Career Roles in Iowa
Iowa contributes 0.89% of the nation’s energy efficiency workforce. Within Iowa’s own clean-energy economy, energy efficiency accounts for 71.6% of total clean-energy jobs (21,088 of 29,462 workers).
Cost-of-living in Iowa is roughly 9.9% lower the U.S. average, so the state-adjusted median wage for energy efficiency roles in Iowa is shown alongside the national BLS figure.
| Role | National median | Iowa-adjusted | Job Zone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy Engineer | $103,940 | $93,650 | 4 |
| Energy Auditor | $71,400 | $64,331 | 3 |
| Weatherization Installer & Technician | $50,560 | $45,555 | 2 |
See all 3 energy efficiency occupations with national wages and skills →
4. Hiring Difficulty & Industry Mix
Iowa employers rate 23.0% of clean-energy hires as “very difficult” (plus 24.8% as “somewhat difficult”) — on par with the ~22% national baseline. Combined, 47.7% of Iowa’s clean-energy roles see some level of hiring friction.
4.1 Employer hiring difficulty
4.2 Jobs by NAICS industry group
| Industry (NAICS group) | Jobs (2024) |
|---|---|
| Construction | 24,088 |
| Manufacturing | 18,675 |
| Trade | 14,334 |
| Other Services | 11,679 |
| Utilities | 6,403 |
| Pipeline Transport & Commodity Flows | 4,558 |
| Professional Services | 4,427 |
| Agriculture and Forestry | 2,487 |
| Mining and Extraction | 41 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Data source: U.S. Department of Energy — 2025 U.S. Energy & Employment Report (reflecting 2024 employment); U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics; O*NET Occupation Database 29.1.
Last updated: April 2026.