Administrative Assistant salary in the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area
Hiring an administrative assistant costs less in the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area than in Iowa or the country as a whole. The median is $41,700 a year1: 7.6% below the Iowa statewide median of $45,150 and 12.3% below the US median of $47,540. Nationally it ranks #364 of 520 areas. About 1,030 administrative assistants work here, 8% of the Iowa total.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area against Iowa and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast Iowa (Nonmetro) | $33,930 | $41,700 | $53,980 | |
| Iowa | $33,880 | $45,150 | $60,760 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
The middle half of administrative assistants in the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area earns $36,750–$47,630. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $53,980, only 1.6 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 $10,880 wide, against $13,030 across Iowa and $19,170 nationally: employers in the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area 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 | $33,930 | $2,828 | $16.31 | $43,781 |
| 25th percentile | $36,750 | $3,062 | $17.67 | $47,419 |
| Median | $41,700 | $3,475 | $20.05 | $53,806 |
| 75th percentile | $47,630 | $3,969 | $22.90 | $61,458 |
| 90th percentile | $53,980 | $4,498 | $25.95 | $69,652 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $5,930 a year in pay and about $7,652 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $4,950 in pay. 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 the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area, and the Iowa statewide median of $45,150 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area
At the $41,700 median, a local hire costs about $53,806 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $12,106 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 the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area
Of the 17 roles we track in the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area, this one ranks #15 by median pay, between customer support specialists ($42,860) and medical administrative assistants ($39,460). Project Coordinator is the highest at $85,440.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Entry Specialist | +5.2% | 60 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +2.8% | 1,150 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 1,030 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -5.4% | 640 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -8.3% | 300 |
Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #9 of the 17 roles we track in the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area (-12.3%), between payroll specialists (-8.7%) and medical administrative assistants (-14.1%). The typical role here is at -12.3%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Administrative assistants hold 13.8% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area, 9.4% across Iowa and 10.8% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
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 5 areas in Iowa with more administrative assistants than the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area, 1 pays less: the Northwest Iowa nonmetro area ($39,810).
| Area | Median | vs the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dubuque, IA | +8.9% | 440 | |
| Iowa City, IA | +8.8% | 630 | |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | +8.2% | 1,290 | |
| Southeast Iowa (Nonmetro) | +2.3% | 1,650 | |
| Southwest Iowa (Nonmetro) | +1.5% | 680 | |
| Northeast Iowa (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,030 | |
| Northwest Iowa (Nonmetro) | -4.5% | 1,150 |
the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area is #319 of 520 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Iowa, Hickory-Lenoir and Rapid City pay just above the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area and Augusta-Richmond County and Youngstown-Warren just below. All four are within $120 a year of the median in the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL | +4.9% | 1,040 | jobs | |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | +2.7% | 1,020 | jobs | |
| Rapid City, SD | +0.0% | 990 | pay | |
| Hickory-Lenoir, NC | +0.0% | 1,140 | pay | |
| Northeast Iowa (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,030 | ||
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | -0.2% | 2,260 | pay | |
| Youngstown-Warren, OH | -0.3% | 1,680 | pay | |
| Johnson City, TN | -3.9% | 1,030 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Northeast Iowa (Nonmetro)?
About $53,806 a year at the median, or $4,484 a month: $41,700 in pay plus about $12,106 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for administrative assistants in the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area?
The median was $41,700 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $33,930, the 90th $53,980, and the middle half earned $36,750 to $47,630.
Is the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Iowa for administrative assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $41,700 against $45,150 statewide. The next area up in Iowa is the Southwest Iowa nonmetro area at $42,340, the next down the Northwest Iowa nonmetro area at $39,810.
How many administrative assistants work in the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 1,030 in the May 2025 survey. That is 8% of the Iowa total of 12,830. 5 areas in Iowa have more; the closest in size is the Northwest Iowa nonmetro area, with about 1,150.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than a medical administrative assistant in the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area?
Yes: $2,240 a year more at the median. The medians are $41,700 and $39,460.
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.