Medical Administrative Assistant salary in the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area
Hiring a medical administrative assistant costs less in the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area than in Iowa or the country as a whole. The median is $39,460 a year1: 3.7% below the Iowa statewide median of $40,980 and 14.1% below the US median of $45,930. Nationally it ranks #336 of 516 areas. BLS counts about 640 people in this job here, 6% of the Iowa total.
BLS occupation 43-6013, area Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area against Iowa and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast Iowa (Nonmetro) | $34,360 | $39,460 | $48,390 | |
| Iowa | $35,240 | $40,980 | $50,130 | |
| United States | $35,930 | $45,930 | $60,530 |
The middle half of medical administrative assistants in the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area earns $36,900–$46,760. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $48,390, 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 $9,860 wide, between the figure for Iowa ($9,420) and the US figure ($12,010).
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 | $34,360 | $2,863 | $16.52 | $44,335 |
| 25th percentile | $36,900 | $3,075 | $17.74 | $47,613 |
| Median | $39,460 | $3,288 | $18.97 | $50,916 |
| 75th percentile | $46,760 | $3,897 | $22.48 | $60,335 |
| 90th percentile | $48,390 | $4,032 | $23.26 | $62,439 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $7,300 over the median, the 25th only $2,560 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $9,419 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 the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area, and the Iowa statewide median of $40,980 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area
At the $39,460 median, a local hire costs about $50,916 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $11,456 here. 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 the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area
Of the 17 roles we track in the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area, this one ranks #16 by median pay, between administrative assistants ($41,700) and virtual receptionists ($38,250). Project Coordinator is the highest at $85,440.
| Role | Median | vs medical administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Entry Specialist | +11.2% | 60 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +8.6% | 1,150 | |
| Administrative Assistant | +5.7% | 1,030 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | this role | 640 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -3.1% | 300 |
Measured against the US median, medical administrative assistants rank #10 of the 17 roles we track in the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area (-14.1%), between administrative assistants (-12.3%) and project coordinators (-16.5%). The typical role here is at -12.3%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Medical administrative assistants hold 8.5% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area, 7.7% 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. Of the 6 areas in Iowa with more medical administrative assistants than the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area, 4 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 the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sioux City, IA-NE | +6.2% | 400 | |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | +3.0% | 620 | |
| Ames, IA | +1.9% | 420 | |
| Northeast Iowa (Nonmetro) | this area | 640 | |
| Dubuque, IA | -0.3% | 410 | |
| Northwest Iowa (Nonmetro) | -0.4% | 840 | |
| Southwest Iowa (Nonmetro) | -0.4% | 470 |
the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area is #249 of 514 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Iowa, Orlando-Kissimmee and Lakeland-Winter Haven pay just above the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area and Savannah and Greenville-Anderson just below. All four are within $60 a year of the median in the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many medical administrative assistants, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bangor, ME | +20.7% | 650 | jobs | |
| Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | +0.2% | 2,470 | pay | |
| Orlando-Kissimmee, FL | +0.2% | 13,050 | pay | |
| Northeast Iowa (Nonmetro) | this area | 640 | ||
| Savannah, GA | -0.1% | 1,480 | pay | |
| Greenville-Anderson, SC | -0.1% | 3,090 | pay | |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | -3.5% | 650 | jobs | |
| Lafayette, LA | -4.4% | 640 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a medical administrative assistant in Northeast Iowa (Nonmetro)?
About $50,916 a year at the median, or $4,243 a month: $39,460 in pay plus about $11,456 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for medical administrative assistants in the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area?
The median was $39,460 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $34,360, the 90th $48,390, and the middle half earned $36,900 to $46,760.
Is the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Iowa for medical administrative assistants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $39,460 against $40,980 statewide. The next area up in Iowa is Ames at $40,210, the next down Dubuque at $39,340.
How many medical administrative assistants work in the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 640 in the May 2025 survey. That is 6% of the Iowa total of 10,560. 6 areas in Iowa have more; the closest in size is the Northwest Iowa nonmetro area, with about 840.
Does a medical administrative assistant cost more than a virtual receptionist in the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area?
Yes: $1,210 a year more at the median. The medians are $39,460 and $38,250.
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.