Technology employment in Iowa is forecast to grow at a modest rate this year, according to the State of the Tech Workforce 2026 report published by CompTIA, a global provider of vendor-neutral information technology training and certifications.

CompTIA estimates net tech employment in Iowa will grow 1.5% in 2026, which would create 1,042 new jobs and expand the state’s tech labor force to more than 68,000 workers. In 2025, tech employment in Iowa was essentially flat, decreasing by 0.1%, resulting in the loss of 39 jobs.

Every U.S. state and Washington D.C., are projected to see tech employment job gains in 2026, with 25 states expected to surpass or match the projected national growth rate of 1.9%.

“While our forecast reflects the most up-to-date data available at this time, we acknowledge that many factors, domestic and international, known and unknown, may impact economic conditions and labor markets,” Seth Robinson, vice president of industry research at CompTIA, said in a prepared statement. “Still, the fundamentals of tech employment remain on solid footing. As companies continue to invest in AI, cybersecurity, data analytics, infrastructure and other areas, they will also need skilled tech professionals to make those investments pay off.”

The impact of artificial intelligence on tech employment is ongoing and increasing, according to the report.

Employer hiring activity, as measured by job postings, shows a labor market increasingly dominated by AI skills hiring, according to the report. In January 2026, more than 275,000 active job postings nationally referenced a need for some level of AI skills. This included dedicated AI positions, such as AI engineers or AI architects, and jobs that required AI fluency and the ability to use and optimize AI tools to perform tasks and boost productivity.

Other highlights from the report include:

• The estimated median wage for a tech worker in Iowa is $91,677, which is 94% higher than the median metro wage for all occupations.
• There are more than 5,700 tech business establishments in Iowa.
• The tech industry contributes an estimated $10.4 billion to the state economy.
• There were 23,509 employer job postings from January 2025-January 2026, active postings total for tech occupations.
• There were 7,649 employer job postings requiring AI skills from January 2025-January 2026.

The full report is available online.