Manufacturing, agriculture and small business have traditionally been the prime movers of the Iowa (IA) economy. The insurance industry is the number one provider of jobs in Des Moines, Iowa’s capital and most populous city; insurance companies headquartered in the city include Principal Financial Group and EMC Insurance Group. The biofuel industry is also of rapidly growing importance for the Iowa jobs market. Iowa is by far the largest producer of ethanol in the U.S., and production capacity will increase significantly in the coming years as more plants are constructed.

Healthcare and computer-related occupations are expected to provide the best opportunities for Iowa careers over the next decade. The service sector will likely show the greatest percentage growth in employment. In particular, casino and riverboat gambling has helped to increase state revenue and the number of tourism-related jobs in Iowa. High-tech companies are the major providers of jobs in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the state’s second most populous city. The Cedar Rapids/Iowa City area is commonly known as Technology Corridor. The largest employers in Cedar Rapids include Rockwell Collins, Alliant Energy, GE Commercial Finance and McLeodUSA.