Medical Administrative Assistant salary in Iowa City, IA
Iowa City is the most expensive place in Iowa to hire a medical administrative assistant. The median is $50,130 a year1, 22.3% above the Iowa statewide median of $40,980 and 9.1% above the US median of $45,930. Only 31 of 516 US areas pay more for this job. BLS counts about 1,290 people in this job here, 12% of the Iowa total.
BLS occupation 43-6013, area Iowa City, IA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Iowa City against Iowa and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa City, IA | $39,000 | $50,130 | $63,190 | |
| Iowa | $35,240 | $40,980 | $50,130 | |
| United States | $35,930 | $45,930 | $60,530 |
The middle half of medical administrative assistants in Iowa City earns $40,980–$50,130. The top tenth earns $63,190 or more, 1.6 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 1.7 times. The mean ($48,750) is no higher than the median, so few high earners skew the figures here. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $9,150 wide, against $9,420 across Iowa and $12,010 nationally: employers in Iowa City 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 | $39,000 | $3,250 | $18.75 | $50,323 |
| 25th percentile | $40,980 | $3,415 | $19.70 | $52,877 |
| Median | $50,130 | $4,178 | $24.10 | $64,684 |
| 75th percentile | $50,130 | $4,178 | $24.10 | $64,684 |
| 90th percentile | $63,190 | $5,266 | $30.38 | $81,535 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $0 a year in pay and about $0 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $9,150 in pay. 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 25th percentile and the median in Iowa City, and the Iowa statewide median of $40,980 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Iowa City
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 $14,554 to the $50,130 median and brings it to $64,684 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 Iowa City
Of the 16 roles we track in Iowa City, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between HR assistants ($55,650) and bookkeepers ($49,220). Project Coordinator is the highest at $96,820.
| Role | Median | vs medical administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Specialist | +12.6% | 40 | |
| HR Assistant | +11.0% | 40 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | this role | 1,290 | |
| Bookkeeper | -1.8% | 660 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -9.5% | 630 |
Measured against the US median, medical administrative assistants rank #2 of the 16 roles we track in Iowa City (+9.1%), between HR assistants (+10.0%) and paralegals (+5.6%). The typical role here is at -4.5%, so, measured against the US, medical administrative assistants cost more in Iowa City than the area's general pay level would suggest. Medical administrative assistants hold 16.1% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Iowa City, 7.8% across Iowa and 6.1% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
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. The one area in Iowa with more medical administrative assistants, Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA ($42,160), pays less: a bigger pool at a lower median.
| Area | Median | vs Iowa City | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa City, IA | this area | 1,290 | |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | -15.9% | 2,350 | |
| Sioux City, IA-NE | -16.4% | 400 | |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | -18.9% | 620 | |
| Ames, IA | -19.8% | 420 | |
| Northeast Iowa (Nonmetro) | -21.3% | 640 | |
| Dubuque, IA | -21.5% | 410 |
Iowa City against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Iowa City is #133 of 514 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the top quarter of US areas. Outside Iowa, Vineland and Santa Cruz-Watsonville pay just above Iowa City and Bridgeport-Stamford and Burlington-South Burlington just below. All four are within $230 a year of the median in Iowa City. Of the three markets with about as many medical administrative assistants, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Iowa City | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bend, OR | +1.0% | 1,290 | jobs | |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | +0.2% | 720 | pay | |
| Vineland, NJ | +0.2% | 300 | pay | |
| Iowa City, IA | this area | 1,290 | ||
| Bridgeport-Stamford, CT | -0.1% | 1,570 | pay | |
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT | -0.5% | 1,080 | pay | |
| Corpus Christi, TX | -21.1% | 1,300 | jobs | |
| Ocala, FL | -24.4% | 1,300 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a medical administrative assistant in Iowa City, IA?
About $64,684 a year at the median, or $5,390 a month: $50,130 in pay plus about $14,554 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do medical administrative assistants earn in Iowa City?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $50,130 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $39,000, the 90th $63,190, and the middle half earned $40,980 to $50,130.
Is Iowa City the most expensive area in Iowa for medical administrative assistants?
Yes. Its median of $50,130 is the highest of 12 areas in Iowa. Des Moines-West Des Moines comes next at $42,160.
How many medical administrative assistants work in Iowa City?
BLS counts about 1,290 in the May 2025 survey. That is 12% of the Iowa total of 10,560. Only Des Moines-West Des Moines has more in Iowa.
Does a medical administrative assistant cost more than a bookkeeper in Iowa City?
Yes: $910 a year more at the median. The medians are $50,130 and $49,220.
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.