Medical Administrative Assistant salary in Cedar Rapids, IA
Cedar Rapids is a lower-cost market for medical administrative assistants: the median of $38,830 a year1 is 5.2% below the Iowa statewide median of $40,980, and 15.5% below the US median of $45,930. Among US areas it comes in at #360 of 516. BLS counts about 920 people in this job here, 9% of the Iowa total.
BLS occupation 43-6013, area Cedar Rapids, IA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Cedar Rapids against Iowa and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar Rapids, IA | $35,660 | $38,830 | $48,080 | |
| Iowa | $35,240 | $40,980 | $50,130 | |
| United States | $35,930 | $45,930 | $60,530 |
The middle half of medical administrative assistants in Cedar Rapids earns $37,560–$46,350. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $48,080, only 1.3 times the bottom tenth, against 1.7 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $8,790 wide, against $9,420 across Iowa and $12,010 nationally: employers in Cedar Rapids pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for a medical administrative assistant here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $35,660 | $2,972 | $17.14 | $46,013 |
| 25th percentile | $37,560 | $3,130 | $18.06 | $48,465 |
| Median | $38,830 | $3,236 | $18.67 | $50,103 |
| 75th percentile | $46,350 | $3,862 | $22.28 | $59,806 |
| 90th percentile | $48,080 | $4,007 | $23.12 | $62,039 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $7,520 over the median, the 25th only $1,270 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $9,703 a year in employer cost. 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 $45,930 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in Cedar Rapids, and the Iowa statewide median of $40,980 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Cedar Rapids
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 $11,273 to the $38,830 median and brings it to $50,103 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 medical 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 Cedar Rapids
Of the 17 roles we track in Cedar Rapids, this one ranks #16 by median pay, between e-commerce order specialists ($43,690) and virtual receptionists ($37,690). Project Coordinator is the highest at $93,760.
| Role | Median | vs medical administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Entry Specialist | +16.7% | 110 | |
| Administrative Assistant | +16.2% | 1,290 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +12.5% | 50 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | this role | 920 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -2.9% | 500 |
Measured against the US median, medical administrative assistants rank #14 of the 17 roles we track in Cedar Rapids (-15.5%), between HR assistants (-9.0%) and recruiters (-16.9%). The typical role here is at -8.3%, so, measured against the US, medical administrative assistants cost less in Cedar Rapids than the area's general pay level would suggest. Medical administrative assistants hold 6.8% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Cedar Rapids, 7.7% across Iowa and 6.1% 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 $38,290 in the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area to $50,130 in Iowa City, a gap of $11,840 a year. Of the 4 areas in Iowa with more medical administrative assistants than Cedar Rapids, 1 pays less: the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area ($38,290).
| Area | Median | vs Cedar Rapids | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast Iowa (Nonmetro) | +1.6% | 640 | |
| Dubuque, IA | +1.3% | 410 | |
| Northwest Iowa (Nonmetro) | +1.2% | 840 | |
| Southwest Iowa (Nonmetro) | +1.2% | 470 | |
| Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | +1.1% | 1,150 | |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | this area | 920 | |
| Southeast Iowa (Nonmetro) | -1.4% | 1,190 |
Cedar Rapids against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Cedar Rapids is #186 of 514 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Iowa, Dover and Oklahoma City pay just above Cedar Rapids and Amarillo and Hot Springs just below. All four are within $40 a year of the median in Cedar Rapids. Of the three markets with about as many medical administrative assistants, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Cedar Rapids | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | +26.7% | 920 | jobs | |
| Lincoln, NE | +18.0% | 930 | jobs | |
| Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | +15.5% | 930 | jobs | |
| Oklahoma City, OK | +0.1% | 3,300 | pay | |
| Dover, DE | +0.1% | 560 | pay | |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | this area | 920 | ||
| Amarillo, TX | -0.1% | 620 | pay | |
| Hot Springs, AR | -0.1% | 100 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a medical administrative assistant in Cedar Rapids, IA?
About $50,103 a year at the median, or $4,175 a month: $38,830 in pay plus about $11,273 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do medical administrative assistants earn in Cedar Rapids?
The median was $38,830 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $35,660, the 90th $48,080, and the middle half earned $37,560 to $46,350.
Is Cedar Rapids cheaper than the rest of Iowa for medical administrative assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $38,830 against $40,980 statewide. The next area up in Iowa is Davenport-Moline at $39,270, the next down the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area at $38,290.
How many medical administrative assistants work in Cedar Rapids?
BLS counts about 920 in the May 2025 survey. That is 9% of the Iowa total of 10,560. 4 areas in Iowa have more; the closest in size is Davenport-Moline, with about 1,150.
Does a medical administrative assistant cost more than a virtual receptionist in Cedar Rapids?
Yes: $1,140 a year more at the median. The medians are $38,830 and $37,690.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-6013: 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.