Cost of hiring in the Northwest Iowa nonmetro area
BLS counts about 9,880 people in these 17 roles in the Northwest Iowa nonmetro area1. Project Coordinator has the highest median ($81,210 a year), Virtual Receptionist the lowest ($36,900), and Bookkeeper is the largest job, with about 1,620 people.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in the Northwest Iowa nonmetro area
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Entry Specialist | +5.7% | 90 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -0.1% | 50 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -2.9% | 450 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -4.6% | 1,490 | |
| Bookkeeper | -7.5% | 1,620 | |
| HR Assistant | -7.6% | 50 | |
| Accountant | -8.5% | 940 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -9.0% | 120 | |
| Office Manager | -10.0% | 790 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -14.4% | 840 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -16.3% | 1,150 | |
| Recruiter | -16.7% | 590 | |
| Project Coordinator | -20.6% | 340 | |
| Paralegal | -20.9% | 190 | |
| Executive Assistant | -27.6% | 250 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -27.7% | 530 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -29.3% | 390 |
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 $46,870 median for bookkeepers, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $60,477 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
the Northwest Iowa nonmetro area against the US
The Northwest Iowa nonmetro area pays above the US median for only one of the 17 roles, data entry specialists (+5.7%), and below it for 15, furthest for sales development representatives (-29.3%). For e-commerce order specialists it is within 1% of the US figure. The middle gap across all 17 is -10.0%: for most of these roles, hiring costs less here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for data entry specialists, #81 of 394 areas by median pay; its lowest is for executive assistants, #440 of 509.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, the Northwest Iowa nonmetro area has more bookkeepers (16.4% of these jobs here, against 8.7% nationally) and medical administrative assistants (8.5% against 6.1%), and fewer sales development representatives (3.9% against 7.9%) and project coordinators (3.4% against 6.7%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, PA is nearest, at -10.0%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. George, UT | -9.9% | 15 | 8,320 |
| Niles, MI | -10.0% | 15 | 4,780 |
| Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, PA | -10.0% | 17 | 20,060 |
| Northwest Iowa (Nonmetro) | -10.0% (this area) | 17 | 9,880 |
| Battle Creek, MI | -10.1% | 14 | 3,900 |
| Tucson, AZ | -10.1% | 17 | 35,710 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, sales development representatives in the Northwest Iowa nonmetro area span $36,970–$102,030, the widest band (2.8×); medical administrative assistants the narrowest, $34,320–$49,880. Offers cluster nearer the median than nationally for 10 of 17 roles, paralegals most ($44,740–$101,500 across the US). Budget from the median for project coordinators, sales development representatives, recruiters and 2 more roles: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($122,170 against a $81,210 median for project coordinators).
the Northwest Iowa nonmetro area against Iowa
Against Iowa as a whole, the Northwest Iowa nonmetro area pays more only for e-commerce order specialists (+2.5%), and less for 15, most of all sales development representatives (-20.7%). It has the lowest median in Iowa for project coordinators and administrative assistants.
Other areas in Iowa
By jobs in these roles, the Northwest Iowa nonmetro area is #5 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 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | 13,480 | 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 the Northwest Iowa nonmetro area?
Of the 17 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $81,210 a year, about $104,787 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $36,900.
Is hiring in the Northwest Iowa nonmetro area cheaper than the US median?
For 15 of the 17 roles, yes, most of all sales development representatives (-29.3%). One pays more than the US median: data entry specialists (+5.7%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.