Cost of hiring in Cedar Rapids, IA
Customer Support Specialist is the largest of these 17 jobs in Cedar Rapids, with about 3,130 people1. Medians run from $37,690 a year for virtual receptionists to $93,760 for project coordinators.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in Cedar Rapids
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Entry Specialist | +9.7% | 110 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +1.7% | 3,130 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -0.8% | 500 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -3.8% | 790 | |
| Bookkeeper | -3.9% | 1,120 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -5.1% | 1,290 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -5.4% | 50 | |
| Accountant | -7.8% | 1,190 | |
| Office Manager | -8.3% | 1,020 | |
| Project Coordinator | -8.4% | 850 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -8.6% | 110 | |
| Paralegal | -8.7% | 310 | |
| HR Assistant | -9.0% | 100 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -15.5% | 920 | |
| Recruiter | -16.9% | 670 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -19.2% | 960 | |
| Executive Assistant | -24.9% | 360 |
The employer pays more than the wage: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, so a $45,510 median for customer support specialists, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $58,723 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
Cedar Rapids against the US
Cedar Rapids pays above the US median for 2 of the 17 roles, most of all for data entry specialists (+9.7%) and customer support specialists (+1.7%), and below it for 14, furthest for executive assistants (-24.9%). For virtual receptionists it is within 1% of the US figure. The middle gap across all 17 is -8.3%: for most of these roles, hiring costs less here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for data entry specialists, #51 of 394 areas by median pay; its lowest is for executive assistants, #408 of 509.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, Cedar Rapids has more customer support specialists (23.2% of these jobs here, against 16.4% nationally) and HR assistants (0.7% against 0.6%), and fewer virtual receptionists (3.7% against 5.7%) and sales development representatives (5.9% against 7.9%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Burlington, NC is nearest, at -8.3%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | -8.1% | 17 | 130,870 |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | -8.2% | 16 | 7,470 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | -8.3% (this area) | 17 | 13,480 |
| Burlington, NC | -8.3% | 15 | 5,960 |
| Monroe, MI | -8.4% | 13 | 2,660 |
| Cheyenne, WY | -8.4% | 14 | 4,190 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, sales development representatives in Cedar Rapids span $35,750–$121,570, the widest band (3.4×); medical administrative assistants the narrowest, $35,660–$48,080. Offers cluster nearer the median than nationally for 16 of 17 roles, medical administrative assistants most ($35,930–$60,530 across the US). Budget from the median for marketing specialists, recruiters, project coordinators and 1 more role: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($71,930 against a $63,630 median for marketing specialists).
Cedar Rapids against Iowa
Against Iowa as a whole, Cedar Rapids pays more for 4 of 17 roles, led by sales development representatives (+7.9%) and paralegals (+5.3%), and less for 10, most of all executive assistants (-7.8%). It has the highest median in Iowa for sales development representatives.
Other areas in Iowa
By jobs in these roles, Cedar Rapids is #4 of 12 areas in Iowa. The table shows the areas closest to it in size, from Des Moines-West Des Moines to the Southwest Iowa nonmetro area.
| Area | Jobs in these roles | Roles with data |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | 45,480 | 17 |
| Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | 16,150 | 17 |
| Southeast Iowa (Nonmetro) | 13,550 | 17 |
| Northwest Iowa (Nonmetro) | 9,880 | 17 |
| Iowa City, IA | 8,030 | 16 |
| Northeast Iowa (Nonmetro) | 7,490 | 17 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | 6,400 | 17 |
| Dubuque, IA | 5,880 | 15 |
| Sioux City, IA-NE | 5,340 | 15 |
| Southwest Iowa (Nonmetro) | 4,830 | 15 |
Questions
Which role costs the most to hire in Cedar Rapids?
Of the 17 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $93,760 a year, about $120,981 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $37,690.
Is hiring in Cedar Rapids cheaper than the US median?
For 14 of the 17 roles, yes, most of all executive assistants (-24.9%). 2 pay more than the US median, led by data entry specialists (+9.7%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.