Administrative Assistant salary in the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area
The Southeast Iowa nonmetro area is a lower-cost market for administrative assistants: the median of $42,640 a year1 is 5.6% below the Iowa statewide median of $45,150, and 10.3% below the US median of $47,540. Among US areas it comes in at #336 of 520. BLS counts about 1,650 people in this job here, 13% of the Iowa total.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area against Iowa and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southeast Iowa (Nonmetro) | $30,210 | $42,640 | $57,680 | |
| Iowa | $33,880 | $45,150 | $60,760 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
The middle half of administrative assistants in the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area earns $36,360–$48,810. The top tenth earns $57,680 or more, 1.9 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.0 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $12,450 wide, against $13,030 across Iowa and $19,170 nationally: employers in the Southeast 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 | $30,210 | $2,518 | $14.52 | $38,981 |
| 25th percentile | $36,360 | $3,030 | $17.48 | $46,916 |
| Median | $42,640 | $3,553 | $20.50 | $55,019 |
| 75th percentile | $48,810 | $4,068 | $23.47 | $62,981 |
| 90th percentile | $57,680 | $4,807 | $27.73 | $74,426 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $6,280 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $6,170, or about $7,961 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 the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area, and the Iowa statewide median of $45,150 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area
Pay is only part of it. Benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, which adds about $12,379 to the $42,640 median and brings it to $55,019 a year. 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 Southeast Iowa nonmetro area
Of the 17 roles we track in the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area, this one ranks #13 by median pay, between bookkeepers ($46,640) and customer support specialists ($40,810). Project Coordinator is the highest at $84,430.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | +14.5% | 210 | |
| Bookkeeper | +9.4% | 1,790 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 1,650 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -4.3% | 2,180 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -5.6% | 120 |
Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #10 of the 17 roles we track in the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area (-10.3%), between office managers (-10.2%) and sales development representatives (-10.8%). The typical role here is at -10.2%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Administrative assistants hold 12.2% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area, 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. All 2 areas in Iowa with more administrative assistants than the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area also pay more, among them Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA ($47,500) and Davenport-Moline, IA-IL ($45,710).
| Area | Median | vs the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dubuque, IA | +6.5% | 440 | |
| Iowa City, IA | +6.4% | 630 | |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | +5.8% | 1,290 | |
| Southeast Iowa (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,650 | |
| Southwest Iowa (Nonmetro) | -0.7% | 680 | |
| Northeast Iowa (Nonmetro) | -2.2% | 1,030 | |
| Northwest Iowa (Nonmetro) | -6.6% | 1,150 |
the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area is #197 of 520 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Iowa, Pinehurst-Southern Pines and Corpus Christi pay just above the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area and Lawrence and Flint just below. All four are within $60 a year of the median in the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eugene-Springfield, OR | +15.2% | 1,670 | jobs | |
| Naples-Marco Island, FL | +11.4% | 1,670 | jobs | |
| Corpus Christi, TX | +0.1% | 2,150 | pay | |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | +0.0% | 370 | pay | |
| Southeast Iowa (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,650 | ||
| Lawrence, KS | -0.0% | 1,230 | pay | |
| Flint, MI | -0.1% | 1,380 | pay | |
| Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | -10.6% | 1,670 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in Southeast Iowa (Nonmetro)?
About $55,019 a year at the median, or $4,585 a month: $42,640 in pay plus about $12,379 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do administrative assistants earn in the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area?
The median was $42,640 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $30,210, the 90th $57,680, and the middle half earned $36,360 to $48,810.
Is the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Iowa for administrative assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $42,640 against $45,150 statewide. The next area up in Iowa is Cedar Rapids at $45,110, the next down the Southwest Iowa nonmetro area at $42,340.
How many administrative assistants work in the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 1,650 in the May 2025 survey. That is 13% of the Iowa total of 12,830. Only Des Moines-West Des Moines and Davenport-Moline have more in Iowa.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than a customer support specialist in the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area?
Yes: $1,830 a year more at the median. The medians are $42,640 and $40,810.
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.