Executive Assistant salary and cost of hiring in Iowa

The median executive assistant in Iowa earned $62,340 a year in May 2025^[1], 18.6% below the US median of $76,590. That puts Iowa at #38 of 51 states for this job.

$5,195median pay per month in Iowa

$7,421employer cost per month with benefits

$800–$1,100per month, remote through Stafka

4,150people in this job in Iowa

BLS occupation 43-6011. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.

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Salary range

	Range	10th	Median	90th
Iowa		$45,230	$62,340	$83,600
United States		$50,560	$76,590	$109,850

10th to 90th percentilemiddle half (25th to 75th)median

The middle half of executive assistants in Iowa earns $51,450–$71,390; the top tenth earns $83,600 or more, 1.8 times the bottom tenth.

What a hire really costs

Benefits and payroll taxes are 30.0% of total compensation in US private industry^[2]. At the Iowa median that makes about $89,057 a year before recruiting, equipment and office space. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.

$89,057 local hire in Iowamedian wage plus benefits, year one

$14,488 remote hire through Stafka$950/month, placement fee and Deel, year one

Our open executive assistant roles pay $800–$1,100 a month under a direct contract. The one-time fee is $2,500–$3,000^[3] with a 180-day replacement; paying through Deel adds $49 a month^[4]. Change any number below to match your plan.

$89,057local hire, first year incl. benefits

$14,488remote hire, first year incl. fee

$74,569difference in year one

84%of the local cost saved

Pay by metro area in Iowa

Area	Median	75th percentile	Jobs
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA	$64,990	$77,180	1,740
Iowa City, IA	$62,740	$67,320	430
Ames, IA	$61,990	$73,270	140
Sioux City, IA-NE-SD	$60,670	$72,100	120
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL	$60,420	$74,750	340
Dubuque, IA	$60,360	$75,900	110
Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA	$59,770	$71,200	170
Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area	$59,220	$70,220	280
Cedar Rapids, IA	$57,500	$66,710	360
Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area	$55,440	$68,870	250
Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area	$54,250	$64,010	170
Southwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area	$52,730	$62,640	130

Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA pays the most ($64,990) and Southwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area the least ($52,730): $12,260 a year apart for the same job.

What an executive assistant does

An executive assistant takes the founder's or a senior manager's admin load: inbox, calendar, travel, reports and follow-ups, so the executive spends time on decisions instead of logistics.

Neighbours in the ranking

State	Median	vs Iowa
West Virginia	$63,820	+2.4%
Kentucky	$62,410	+0.1%
Iowa	$62,340	+0.0%
North Dakota	$61,270	-1.7%
Utah	$61,130	-1.9%

Questions

How much does an executive assistant earn in Iowa?

The median was $62,340 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey; the middle half earned $51,450 to $71,390.

What does it cost to employ an executive assistant in Iowa?

About $89,057 a year at the median wage once benefits are added, using the 30% benefits share of US private industry (June 2026).

Where in Iowa do executive assistants earn the most?

Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA, with a median of $64,990 a year.

Sources

BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-6011: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes436011.htm
BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.nr0.htm
Silkstaff pricing: https://silkstaff.com/#pricing
Deel pricing, contractor management: https://www.deel.com/pricing/

How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-05.