Medical Administrative Assistant salary in Dubuque, IA
Dubuque is a lower-cost market for medical administrative assistants: the median of $39,340 a year1 is 4.0% below the Iowa statewide median of $40,980, and 14.3% below the US median of $45,930. Nationally it ranks #340 of 516 areas. About 410 medical administrative assistants work here, 4% of the Iowa total.
BLS occupation 43-6013, area Dubuque, IA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Dubuque against Iowa and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dubuque, IA | $34,740 | $39,340 | $48,240 | |
| Iowa | $35,240 | $40,980 | $50,130 | |
| United States | $35,930 | $45,930 | $60,530 |
The middle half of medical administrative assistants in Dubuque earns $37,570–$46,140. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $48,240, only 1.4 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 $8,570 wide, against $9,420 across Iowa and $12,010 nationally: employers in Dubuque 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 | $34,740 | $2,895 | $16.70 | $44,826 |
| 25th percentile | $37,570 | $3,131 | $18.06 | $48,477 |
| Median | $39,340 | $3,278 | $18.91 | $50,761 |
| 75th percentile | $46,140 | $3,845 | $22.18 | $59,535 |
| 90th percentile | $48,240 | $4,020 | $23.19 | $62,245 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $6,800 over the median, the 25th only $1,770 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $8,774 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 Dubuque, and the Iowa statewide median of $40,980 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Dubuque
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 $11,421 to the $39,340 median and brings it to $50,761 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 Dubuque
Of the 15 roles we track in Dubuque, this one ranks #14 by median pay, between HR assistants ($42,680) and virtual receptionists ($38,830). Project Coordinator is the highest at $104,690.
| Role | Median | vs medical administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative Assistant | +15.5% | 440 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +12.5% | 80 | |
| HR Assistant | +8.5% | 60 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | this role | 410 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -1.3% | 200 |
Measured against the US median, medical administrative assistants rank #10 of the 15 roles we track in Dubuque (-14.3%), between sales development representatives (-11.5%) and recruiters (-15.2%). The typical role here is at -11.4%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Medical administrative assistants hold 7.0% of the jobs in these 15 roles in Dubuque, 7.8% 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 10 areas in Iowa with more medical administrative assistants than Dubuque, 5 pay less, the largest of them the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area ($38,290), Davenport-Moline, IA-IL ($39,270) and Cedar Rapids, IA ($38,830).
| Area | Median | vs Dubuque | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | +3.4% | 620 | |
| Ames, IA | +2.2% | 420 | |
| Northeast Iowa (Nonmetro) | +0.3% | 640 | |
| Dubuque, IA | this area | 410 | |
| Northwest Iowa (Nonmetro) | -0.1% | 840 | |
| Southwest Iowa (Nonmetro) | -0.1% | 470 | |
| Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | -0.2% | 1,150 |
Dubuque against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Dubuque is #344 of 514 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Iowa, Sumter and Greenville-Anderson pay just above Dubuque and Wheeling and Birmingham just below. All four are within $190 a year of the median in Dubuque. Of the three markets with about as many medical administrative assistants, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Dubuque | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winchester, VA-WV | +8.6% | 410 | jobs | |
| Midland, MI | +2.7% | 420 | jobs | |
| Greenville-Anderson, SC | +0.2% | 3,090 | pay | |
| Sumter, SC | +0.1% | 190 | pay | |
| Dubuque, IA | this area | 410 | ||
| Wheeling, WV-OH | -0.4% | 160 | pay | |
| Birmingham, AL | -0.5% | n/a | pay | |
| Lima, OH | -0.6% | 420 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a medical administrative assistant in Dubuque, IA?
About $50,761 a year at the median, or $4,230 a month: $39,340 in pay plus about $11,421 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for medical administrative assistants in Dubuque?
The median was $39,340 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $34,740, the 90th $48,240, and the middle half earned $37,570 to $46,140.
Is Dubuque cheaper than the rest of Iowa for medical administrative assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $39,340 against $40,980 statewide. The next area up in Iowa is the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area at $39,460, the next down the Northwest Iowa nonmetro area at $39,300.
How many medical administrative assistants work in Dubuque?
BLS counts about 410 in the May 2025 survey. That is 4% of the Iowa total of 10,560. 10 areas in Iowa have more; the closest in size is Ames, with about 420.
Does a medical administrative assistant cost more than a virtual receptionist in Dubuque?
Yes: $510 a year more at the median. The medians are $39,340 and $38,830.
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.