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How Much Should I Charge as a Lawyer in Iowa?

Updated March 2026

Average hourly rates for lawyers, non-lawyers, and law firms in Iowa is based on aggregated and anonymized data from tens of thousands of legal professionals across the U.S. This data is updated annually and published with additional research and analysis in Clio’s Legal Trends Report.

Key takeaways

  • As of 2025, the average hourly rate for a lawyer in Iowa is $252, compared to $349 in the US. Based on practice area, rates in Iowa can range from $113 to $466.
  • As of 2025, the average hourly rate for non-lawyers in Iowa is $151, compared to $187 in the US. Based on practice area, non-lawyer rates in Iowa can range from $116 to $314.
  • The average hourly rate that law firms charge in Iowa is $234 (compared to $311 in the US), which is a blended rate that takes into account both lawyer and non-lawyer rates. Based on the practice area, how much law firms charge in Iowa can range from $136 to $432.

Compare hourly rates to national averages and other states

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  • All of Clio’s research is published annually in the Legal Trends Report, which features in-depth analysis on the latest trends in AI technology and adoption, consumer perspectives on legal services, and this year, a first-of-its kind neurological study of legal professionals.

    Read the report

Hourly rates for legal services in Iowa

Compare average hourly rates for lawyers, non-lawyers, and law firms in Iowa. “Non-lawyer” rates refer to non-licensed legal professionals like paralegals and other firm administrative staff. “Law firm” rates are a blended average of lawyer and non-lawyer rates.


Average lawyer hourly rates
Average non-lawyer hourly rates
Average law firm hourly rates
State average $252 $151 $234
High $492 $237 $456
Low $196 $118 $186
Industry average $349 $187 $311

Compare hourly rates to national averages and other states

Hourly rates for legal services by practice area in Iowa

In Iowa, hourly rates differ based on the types of services and practice areas offered by lawyers and their law firms


Practice area
Average lawyer hourly rate
Administrative$330
Appellate$196
Bankruptcy$466
Business$313
Civil Litigation$310
Civil Rights and Constitutional LawCurrently unavailable
Collections$243
Commercial Sale of Goods$373
Construction$234
Contracts$297
Corporate$264
Criminal$138
Elder Law$235
Employment Labor$327
Family$288
Government$225
Immigration$358
Insurance$238
Intellectual Property$300
Juvenile$113
Mediation and Arbitration$220
Medical MalpracticeCurrently unavailable
Other$165
Personal Injury$317
Real Estate$289
Small Claims$281
Tax$269
Traffic Offenses$245
Trusts$314
Wills and Estates$288
Worker's Compensation$180

Key performance indicators in Iowa

Key performance indicators (KPIs) offer valuable insights into a firm’s performance in Iowa. This information helps lawyers understand how they and their employees are contributing to revenue generation, and can be instrumental in identifying areas for continuous improvement.


Utilization rate
Realization rate
Collection rate
What is it? How many hours individual lawyers put towards revenue-generating work. How much revenue-generating work is billed to a client after discounts or canceled fees. How much invoiced work gets paid to a law firm.
Iowa average 39% 78% 95%
U.S. average 38% 88% 92%

Historical hourly rates in Iowa


Year
Average lawyer hourly rate
Average non-lawyer hourly rate
Average law firm hourly rate
2025$252$151$234
2024$254$166$241
2023$202$130$193
2022$192$130$185
2021$189$134$182

Adjusted hourly rates in Iowa

In addition to hourly rates, cost of living standards in Iowa can affect overall purchasing power. Adjusted hourly rates take into account average consumer prices, and are calculated as follows.


Year
Adjusted lawyer hourly rate
Adjusted non-lawyer hourly rate
Adjusted law firm hourly rate
2025$284$170$264
2024$287$188$273
2023$225$145$215
2022$213$143$205
2021$209$148$202

Frequently asked questions

What is the hourly rate of a lawyer in Iowa?

The hourly rate for a lawyer in Iowa is between $113 and $466 per hour, with the average being $252.

How much does a family lawyer charge in Iowa?

The average hourly rate for a family lawyer in Iowa is $288 per hour.

How much does a civil litigation lawyer charge in Iowa?

The average hourly rate for a civil litigation lawyer in Iowa is $310 per hour.

How much does a criminal lawyer charge in Iowa?

The average hourly rate for a criminal lawyer in Iowa is $138 per hour.

What is the highest paid type of lawyer in Iowa?

Bankruptcy attorneys are the highest paid type of lawyer in Iowa, earning $466 per hour on average.

What is the lowest paid type of lawyer in Iowa?

Juvenile attorneys are the lowest paid type of lawyer in Iowa, earning $113 per hour on average.

Explore lawyer rates in the U.S.

About the Legal Trends Report

The Legal Trends Report, published by Clio, provides information on the most important issues faced within the legal profession. By analyzing aggregated and anonymized data from tens of thousands of legal professionals in the U.S., supported by extensive survey research, this report offers unique insights into law firm efficiencies, hourly rates, and other key metrics for success.

Read the report