Sources: Iowa Department of Administrative Services, Iowa FY 2027 Classification Plan and Pay Plans; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates. Data captured September 30, 2026.
Iowa state pay plan Sourced
Published rates for each class, lowest first, effective June 19, 2026. These are the ranges Iowa sets for its own state employees; cities, counties and school districts have their own pay plans.
| Class and grade | Published rate |
|---|---|
| Public Defender 1 Class 00633 · class description Grade 30 | $63,586 – $98,634 a year |
| Public Defender 2 Class 00634 · class description Grade 36 | $85,176 – $130,603 a year |
| Public Defender 3 Class 00635 · class description Grade 40 | $109,990 – $156,499 a year |
Schedule: 014 AFSCME. Rates are as the plan publishes them; "a year" figures are conversions. Classes are matched to this job by title (GovJobsWiki editorial rule).
Source: Iowa Department of Administrative Services, Iowa FY 2027 Classification Plan and Pay Plans. Data captured September 30, 2026.
Pay in Iowa, all employers Sourced
Lawyers (SOC 23-1011) in Iowa, all employers combined: BLS state estimates do not separate government from private.
| Measure | IA |
|---|---|
| Workers | 3,550 |
| 10th percentile | $63,790 |
| Median | $123,550 |
| 90th percentile | $268,460 |
| National median, government employers | $134,680 |
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — national estimates by ownership. Data captured September 30, 2026.
Free practice tests for Iowa
Iowa Bar ExaminationIowa version · free on Open Exam Prep- Multistate Bar ExaminationEntrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- Multistate Essay ExaminationEntrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- Multistate Performance TestEntrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- Multistate Professional Responsibility ExaminationPractice for a named exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- NextGen Bar ExaminationPractice for a named exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- Uniform Bar ExaminationPractice for a named exam · free on Open Exam Prep
Source: Open Exam Prep, Open Exam Prep free practice tests. Data captured October 1, 2026. Each link was opened and its exam title checked on the date shown.
More about this job
Requirements, hiring process, training, schedule and day-to-day work are on the national Public Defender page.