Almost a third of small businesses in Iowa added jobs in 2014, with the greatest numbers of added jobs coming in the agricultural and construction sectors, according to an annual report on small-business activity in the state. 

The University of Northern Iowa’s Center for Business Growth and Innovation released its 2015 Iowa Small Business Report, which each year measures sales trends, job growth or loss, capital acquired, and business use of technology among Iowa business owners with fewer than 50 employees.

The report is based on data collected from Iowa small-business owners in February 2015 associated with their business activity during calendar year 2014.

In addition, the survey measured business needs for technical assistance, networks and capital and asked how small-business owners are accessing those services as well as the value they place in them.

Some key findings in the 2015 survey include:

• Thirty percent of Iowa small-business owners added jobs in 2014, and those who did hired multiple employees (2.86 per company).

• The greatest numbers of jobs were added by small businesses in the agricultural sector, followed by the construction industry. 

• The average new full-time manager earned a starting wage of $28.05 across industries. 

• Technology is influencing hiring, layoffs and wages throughout the state. One out of five companies added new employees as a result of the introduction and use of technology, and tech jobs were among the highest paid small-business positions in Iowa.

Health insurance and other benefits topped the list of pressing problems faced by small-business owners in 2014, with small-business owners asking for more affordable plans and more options from which to choose.

Female-owned businesses continue to lag behind male-owned in terms of business size, sales, adoption of technology and job creation. However, considerably more female-owned companies reported use of social media than their male-owned counterparts, especially Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.

The 2015 findings have been published in a full-color magazine providing business owners, community leaders and legislators a good look, both visually and in articles, at the current Iowa small-business experience.

The full report is also available online.