Cost of hiring in the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area
BLS counts about 13,550 people in these 17 roles in the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area1. Project Coordinator has the highest median ($84,430 a year), Virtual Receptionist the lowest ($36,330), and Customer Support Specialist is the largest job, with about 2,180 people.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +16.1% | 190 | |
| HR Assistant | -0.2% | 100 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -2.6% | 120 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -4.4% | 500 | |
| Bookkeeper | -8.0% | 1,790 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -8.3% | 160 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -8.8% | 2,180 | |
| Accountant | -9.9% | 1,270 | |
| Office Manager | -10.2% | 1,100 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -10.3% | 1,650 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -10.8% | 450 | |
| Recruiter | -13.8% | 930 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -16.6% | 1,190 | |
| Project Coordinator | -17.5% | 580 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -18.5% | 850 | |
| Paralegal | -22.3% | 210 | |
| Executive Assistant | -22.7% | 280 |
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 $40,810 median for customer support specialists, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $52,658 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area against the US
The Southeast Iowa nonmetro area pays above the US median for only one of the 17 roles, e-commerce order specialists (+16.1%), and below it for 15, furthest for executive assistants (-22.7%). For HR assistants it is within 1% of the US figure. The middle gap across all 17 is -10.2%: for most of these roles, hiring costs less here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for e-commerce order specialists, #5 of 287 areas by median pay; its lowest is for paralegals, #403 of 506.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area has more e-commerce order specialists (1.4% of these jobs here, against 0.5% nationally) and bookkeepers (13.2% against 8.7%), and fewer sales development representatives (3.3% against 7.9%) and paralegals (1.5% against 2.5%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Tucson, AZ is nearest, at -10.1%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, PA | -10.0% | 17 | 20,060 |
| Battle Creek, MI | -10.1% | 14 | 3,900 |
| Tucson, AZ | -10.1% | 17 | 35,710 |
| Southeast Iowa (Nonmetro) | -10.2% (this area) | 17 | 13,550 |
| Gainesville, GA | -10.2% | 17 | 8,420 |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton, SC | -10.3% | 16 | 8,860 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, sales development representatives in the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area span $34,520–$115,030, the widest band (3.3×); medical administrative assistants the narrowest, $33,550–$47,210. Offers cluster nearer the median than nationally for 11 of 17 roles, paralegals most ($44,740–$101,500 across the US). Budget from the median for project coordinators, sales development representatives, recruiters and 3 more roles: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($97,600 against a $84,430 median for project coordinators).
the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area against Iowa
Against Iowa as a whole, the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area pays more for 2 of 17 roles, led by e-commerce order specialists (+19.1%) and HR assistants (+4.2%), and less for 14, most of all project coordinators (-12.5%). It has the highest median in Iowa for e-commerce order specialists, and the lowest for medical administrative assistants.
Other areas in Iowa
By jobs in these roles, the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area is #3 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 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | 13,480 | 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 the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area?
Of the 17 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $84,430 a year, about $108,942 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $36,330.
Is hiring in the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area cheaper than the US median?
For 15 of the 17 roles, yes, most of all executive assistants (-22.7%). One pays more than the US median: e-commerce order specialists (+16.1%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.