A nurse in magenta scrubs walking a hospital corridor
Hospital · Iowa City, IA

University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center Down

500 E Market Street, Iowa City, IA 52245

Contract staffing here runs at 32% of payroll, about 4.4 times the Iowa median.

Contract labor share
32%
Iowa median 7.3%
Staff per bed
3.1
Iowa median 6.5
Average pay, all roles
$81,547
Iowa median $95,987
Beds
171
524 employees (FTE)
The numbers, in plain English

Working at University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center Down

University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center Down is a 171-bed acute care hospital in Iowa City, Iowa, with about 524 full-time-equivalent employees, or 3.1 staff per bed. The median across the 30 Iowa hospitals of the same type that file cost reports is 6.5.

In the fiscal year ending June 2025, the hospital reported $13.7 million in contract labor for direct patient care, which is 32% of its payroll. The median for comparable Iowa hospitals is 7.3%. Put simply, this hospital leans on contract staff more than most Iowa hospitals of its type.

Average pay per employee across all roles was $81,547, below the $95,987 median for comparable Iowa hospitals. That figure covers every job in the hospital, not nurses alone.

What this means if you apply here

  • Higher contract spending is a good reason to ask whether permanent roles are open and what sign-on terms come with them.
  • Fewer staff per bed than most comparable Iowa hospitals, so ask how assignments are built.

Questions to ask in your interview

  • Which units rely most on contract nurses right now?
  • Are permanent roles open on those units, and what sign-on terms come with them?
  • What is the typical RN assignment on the unit I would join?
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Sources. CMS Hospital Cost Report, fiscal year ending June 2025. Comparisons use the latest report for each Iowa hospital of the same type. CMS Overall Hospital Quality Star Rating from CMS Care Compare.