Administrative Assistant salary in Cedar Rapids, IA
For this job Cedar Rapids sits right at the Iowa figure, with a median of $45,110 a year1. That is about level with the Iowa statewide median of $45,150, and 5.1% below the US median of $47,540. Among US areas it comes in at #247 of 520. About 1,290 administrative assistants work here, 10% of the Iowa total.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area Cedar Rapids, IA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Cedar Rapids against Iowa and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar Rapids, IA | $36,120 | $45,110 | $60,240 | |
| Iowa | $33,880 | $45,150 | $60,760 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
The middle half of administrative assistants in Cedar Rapids earns $38,900–$50,560. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $60,240, only 1.7 times the bottom tenth, against 2.0 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $11,660 wide, against $13,030 across Iowa and $19,170 nationally: employers in Cedar Rapids pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for an administrative assistant here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $36,120 | $3,010 | $17.37 | $46,606 |
| 25th percentile | $38,900 | $3,242 | $18.70 | $50,194 |
| Median | $45,110 | $3,759 | $21.69 | $58,206 |
| 75th percentile | $50,560 | $4,213 | $24.31 | $65,239 |
| 90th percentile | $60,240 | $5,020 | $28.96 | $77,729 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $6,210 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $5,450, or about $7,032 once benefits are added. These percentiles describe what people in the job earn locally, not experience levels, so place your offer by the tasks and seniority you need.
For scale, the US median of $47,540 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in Cedar Rapids, and the Iowa statewide median of $45,150 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Cedar Rapids
At the $45,110 median, a local hire costs about $58,206 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $13,096 here. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.
We place executive assistants, customer support and e-commerce staff today; for administrative assistants we answer within one business day whether we can help. Enter the monthly pay you have in mind to compare it with a local hire. The fee field shows our standard fee3; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool4.
Other roles in Cedar Rapids
Of the 17 roles we track in Cedar Rapids, this one ranks #14 by median pay, between data entry specialists ($45,330) and e-commerce order specialists ($43,690). Project Coordinator is the highest at $93,760.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customer Support Specialist | +0.9% | 3,130 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +0.5% | 110 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 1,290 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -3.1% | 50 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -13.9% | 920 |
Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #6 of the 17 roles we track in Cedar Rapids (-5.1%), between bookkeepers (-3.9%) and e-commerce order specialists (-5.4%). The typical role here is at -8.3%, so, measured against the US, administrative assistants cost more in Cedar Rapids than the area's general pay level would suggest. Administrative assistants hold 9.6% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Cedar Rapids, 9.4% across Iowa and 10.8% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Iowa
Across the 12 areas of Iowa with data for this job, the median runs from $39,810 in the Northwest Iowa nonmetro area to $48,740 in Ames, a gap of $8,930 a year. Of the 3 areas in Iowa with more administrative assistants than Cedar Rapids, 1 pays less: the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area ($42,640).
| Area | Median | vs Cedar Rapids | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | +1.3% | 1,670 | |
| Dubuque, IA | +0.7% | 440 | |
| Iowa City, IA | +0.6% | 630 | |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | this area | 1,290 | |
| Southeast Iowa (Nonmetro) | -5.5% | 1,650 | |
| Southwest Iowa (Nonmetro) | -6.1% | 680 | |
| Northeast Iowa (Nonmetro) | -7.6% | 1,030 |
Cedar Rapids against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Cedar Rapids is #259 of 520 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Iowa, Atlanta-Sandy Springs and Dover pay just above Cedar Rapids and Roanoke and Odessa just below. All four are within $250 a year of the median in Cedar Rapids. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Cedar Rapids | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Springfield, IL | +5.4% | 1,290 | jobs | |
| Dover, DE | +0.6% | 1,170 | pay | |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs, GA | +0.4% | 25,280 | pay | |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | this area | 1,290 | ||
| Roanoke, VA | -0.0% | 1,230 | pay | |
| Odessa, TX | -0.1% | 920 | pay | |
| Crestview-Fort Walton Beach, FL | -0.4% | 1,300 | jobs | |
| Columbus, GA-AL | -16.7% | 1,300 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Cedar Rapids, IA?
About $58,206 a year at the median, or $4,851 a month: $45,110 in pay plus about $13,096 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for administrative assistants in Cedar Rapids?
The median was $45,110 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $36,120, the 90th $60,240, and the middle half earned $38,900 to $50,560.
Is Cedar Rapids cheaper than the rest of Iowa for administrative assistants?
About the same: a median of $45,110 against $45,150 statewide. The next area up in Iowa is Iowa City at $45,390, the next down the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area at $42,640.
How many administrative assistants work in Cedar Rapids?
BLS counts about 1,290 in the May 2025 survey. That is 10% of the Iowa total of 12,830. 3 areas in Iowa have more; the closest in size is the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area, with about 1,650.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than an e-commerce order specialist in Cedar Rapids?
Yes: $1,420 a year more at the median. The medians are $45,110 and $43,690.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-6014: bls.gov
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
- Stafka pricing: stafka.com
- Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.