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Medical Administrative Assistant salary and cost of hiring in Iowa

The median medical administrative assistant in Iowa earned $40,980 a year in May 2025[1], 10.8% below the US median of $45,930. That puts Iowa at #42 of 51 states for this job.

$3,415median pay per month in Iowa
$4,879employer cost per month with benefits
$19.70median pay per hour
10,560people in this job in Iowa

BLS occupation 43-6013. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.

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Salary range

Range10thMedian90th
Iowa$35,240$40,980$50,130
United States$35,930$45,930$60,530
10th to 90th percentilemiddle half (25th to 75th)median

The middle half of medical administrative assistants in Iowa earns $37,560–$46,980; the top tenth earns $50,130 or more, 1.4 times the bottom tenth.

What a hire really costs

Benefits and payroll taxes are 30.0% of total compensation in US private industry[2]. At the Iowa median that makes about $58,543 a year before recruiting, equipment and office space. 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 fee[3]; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool[4].

$58,543local hire, first year incl. benefits
-remote hire, first year incl. fee
-difference in year one
-of the local cost saved

Pay by metro area in Iowa

AreaMedian75th percentileJobs
Iowa City, IA
$50,130
$50,1301,290
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
$42,160
$46,8402,350
Sioux City, IA-NE-SD
$41,890
$46,210400
Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
$40,660
$46,520620
Ames, IA
$40,210
$45,980420
Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area
$39,460
$46,760640
Dubuque, IA
$39,340
$46,140410
Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area
$39,300
$47,370840
Southwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area
$39,290
$45,310470
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL
$39,270
$45,8801,150
Cedar Rapids, IA
$38,830
$46,350920
Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area
$38,290
$44,3501,190

Iowa City, IA pays the most ($50,130) and Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area the least ($38,290): $11,840 a year apart for the same job.

What a medical administrative assistant does

A medical administrative assistant handles a clinic's front and back office: scheduling, insurance checks, referrals, patient messages and records.

Neighbours in the ranking

StateMedianvs Iowa
Florida
$41,730
+1.8%
Michigan
$41,100
+0.3%
Iowa
$40,980
+0.0%
South Carolina
$40,170
-2.0%
Tennessee
$39,940
-2.5%

Questions

How much does a medical administrative assistant earn in Iowa?

The median was $40,980 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey; the middle half earned $37,560 to $46,980.

What does it cost to employ a medical administrative assistant in Iowa?

About $58,543 a year at the median wage once benefits are added, using the 30% benefits share of US private industry (June 2026).

Where in Iowa do medical administrative assistants earn the most?

Iowa City, IA, with a median of $50,130 a year.

Other roles in Iowa

Hire medical administrative assistants remotely

Sources

  1. BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-6013: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes436013.htm
  2. BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.nr0.htm
  3. Silkstaff pricing: https://silkstaff.com/#pricing
  4. Deel pricing, contractor management: https://www.deel.com/pricing/

How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-05.