Workers’ comp insurance cost for electricians in Iowa

Q: What does workers' comp cost electrical contractors in Iowa?

Modeled from the 2024 filed manual rate of $1.76 per $100 of payroll: a <5-employee electrical shop lands around $880–$3.5k per year before experience mods and schedule credits.

Q: What drives the rate up or down?

Three levers: payroll (the exposure base), claims history (the experience modifier), and schedule credits/debits the insurer applies. Electrical wiring work is NCCI class 5190 — it covers electrical wiring within buildings, including installation of fixtures and appliances.

Published 2026-06-05 · Updated 2026-06-11 · by Brokly

Direct answer: Iowa electrical contractors pay a filed workers’-comp manual rate of $1.76 per $100 of payroll (2024 filed rate) — the 39th-highest of 51 US jurisdictions. Modeled on real payrolls, most <5-employee electrical contractors land around $880–$3.5k/yr, before experience mods and schedule credits.

60% of IA electrical contractors have <5 employees — the chart below prices every size band from its own observed payroll.
Iowa sits 39th of 51: CO pays more ($2.06), NV less ($1.53).
Workers’ comp is one of several coverages — see everything your electrical shop needs in Iowa →

What do Iowa electrical contractors pay for workers’ comp?

Modeled annual premium across the real size distribution of IA electrical contractors

bar height = how many electrical contractors are that size · figures = modeled annual cost

typical · most IA electrical contractors

▼

<5 emp

≈$1.6k/yr

5–9 emp

≈$6k/yr

10–19 emp

≈$16k/yr

20–49 emp

≈$36k/yr

50–99 emp

≈$83k/yr

SMALLER

MID-SIZE

LARGER

A <5-employee IA electrical shop: modeled $880–$3.5k/yr in workers’-comp premium (that band’s own average wage, before experience mods and schedule credits). Bar heights show how many of the 902 IA electrical contractors fall in each size band.

Cohort: size distribution of 902 IA electrical contractors (Census CBP 2023); premiums modeled from one filed rate ($1.76/$100 payroll, 2024). Bands shown cover 888 of 902 establishments (98.4%) — 14 establishments in larger, very small-count, or data-suppressed size bands are not shown. 2023 payroll dollars, not inflation-adjusted. Illustrative benchmark — not a quote or coverage recommendation.

Filed manual rate (IA)

$1.76 / $100 payroll

as of 2024

Typical <5-employee electrical shop (60% of IA)

$880–$3.5k / yr modeled

as of 2024 · CBP 2023

Sources: Oregon DCBS workers' compensation premium rate ranking study, June 2025 (calendar-year 2024 rates) (as of calendar year 2024, retrieved 2026-06-04) · US Census County Business Patterns 2023, state file (Electrical contractors (NAICS 238210)) (as of 2023, retrieved 2026-06-05)

How does Iowa compare to nearby ranks?

Calculated manual rates, $ per $100 payroll, NCCI class 5190 (Electrical Wiring — Within Buildings), 2024. See all 51 jurisdictions →

Rank	State	Rate / $100 payroll
35	Massachusetts	$2.02
36	Tennessee	$2.00
37	Arizona	$1.81
38	Kansas	$1.78
39	Iowa	$1.76
40	Michigan	$1.73
41	Kentucky	$1.73
42	Ohio	$1.59
43	Oregon	$1.56

Sources: Oregon DCBS workers' compensation premium rate ranking study, June 2025 (calendar-year 2024 rates) (as of calendar year 2024, retrieved 2026-06-04)

Frequently asked questions

What does workers' comp cost electrical contractors in Iowa?

Modeled from the 2024 filed manual rate of $1.76 per $100 of payroll: a <5-employee electrical shop lands around $880–$3.5k per year before experience mods and schedule credits.

What drives the rate up or down?

Three levers: payroll (the exposure base), claims history (the experience modifier), and schedule credits/debits the insurer applies. Electrical wiring work is NCCI class 5190 — it covers electrical wiring within buildings, including installation of fixtures and appliances.

Electricians in nearby-ranked states: Kansas ($1.78) · Michigan ($1.73) · Arizona ($1.81) · Kentucky ($1.73)

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Illustrative benchmark — not a quote or coverage recommendation. Figures are modeled from public filings and Census data for 902 Iowa electrical contractors; your premium depends on your payroll, claims history, and carrier.