Office Manager salary in the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area
The Northeast Iowa nonmetro area is the least expensive place in Iowa to hire an office manager. The median is $57,940 a year1, 10.0% below the Iowa statewide median of $64,400 and 16.6% below the US median of $69,500. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#436 of 519). About 610 office managers work here, 6% of the Iowa total.
BLS occupation 43-1011, 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) | $37,960 | $57,940 | $85,090 | |
| Iowa | $43,680 | $64,400 | $97,710 | |
| United States | $45,610 | $69,500 | $104,710 |
The middle half of office managers in the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area earns $47,550–$70,620. The top tenth earns $85,090 or more, 2.2 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.3 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $23,070 wide, against $29,000 across Iowa and $29,140 nationally: employers in the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for an office manager here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $37,960 | $3,163 | $18.25 | $48,981 |
| 25th percentile | $47,550 | $3,962 | $22.86 | $61,355 |
| Median | $57,940 | $4,828 | $27.86 | $74,761 |
| 75th percentile | $70,620 | $5,885 | $33.95 | $91,123 |
| 90th percentile | $85,090 | $7,091 | $40.91 | $109,794 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $10,390 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $12,680, or about $16,361 once benefits are added. 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 $69,500 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area, and the Iowa statewide median of $64,400 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area
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 $16,821 to the $57,940 median and brings it to $74,761 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 office managers 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 #5 by median pay, between marketing specialists ($59,710) and executive assistants ($54,250). Project Coordinator is the highest at $85,440.
| Role | Median | vs office manager | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recruiter | +8.5% | 460 | |
| Marketing Specialist | +3.1% | 370 | |
| Office Manager | this role | 610 | |
| Executive Assistant | -6.4% | 170 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -8.2% | 120 |
Measured against the US median, office managers rank #12 of the 17 roles we track in the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area (-16.6%), between project coordinators (-16.5%) and recruiters (-17.2%). The typical role here is at -12.3%, so, measured against the US, office managers cost less in the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area than the area's general pay level would suggest. Office managers hold 8.1% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area, 7.5% across Iowa and 9.1% 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 $57,940 in the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area to $71,690 in Des Moines-West Des Moines, a gap of $13,750 a year. All 5 areas in Iowa with more office managers than the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area also pay more, among them Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA ($71,690) and Davenport-Moline, IA-IL ($63,020).
| Area | Median | vs the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | +8.8% | 1,160 | |
| Northwest Iowa (Nonmetro) | +7.9% | 790 | |
| Southeast Iowa (Nonmetro) | +7.8% | 1,100 | |
| Sioux City, IA-NE | +6.6% | 420 | |
| Southwest Iowa (Nonmetro) | +5.3% | 430 | |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | +4.3% | 500 | |
| Northeast Iowa (Nonmetro) | this area | 610 |
the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area is #354 of 517 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Iowa, Lubbock and Homosassa Springs pay just above the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area and El Paso and Twin Falls just below. All four are within $300 a year of the median in the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many office managers, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eau Claire, WI | +17.3% | 610 | jobs | |
| Vineland, NJ | +15.9% | 610 | jobs | |
| Santa Fe, NM | +13.5% | 610 | jobs | |
| Homosassa Springs, FL | +0.5% | 310 | pay | |
| Lubbock, TX | +0.3% | 2,210 | pay | |
| Northeast Iowa (Nonmetro) | this area | 610 | ||
| El Paso, TX | -0.0% | 4,050 | pay | |
| Twin Falls, ID | -0.1% | 420 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an office manager in Northeast Iowa (Nonmetro)?
About $74,761 a year at the median, or $6,230 a month: $57,940 in pay plus about $16,821 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for office managers in the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $57,940 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $37,960, the 90th $85,090, and the middle half earned $47,550 to $70,620.
Is the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area the cheapest area in Iowa for office managers?
Yes. Its median of $57,940 is the lowest of 12 areas in Iowa. Waterloo-Cedar Falls is next at $60,420.
How many office managers work in the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 610 in the May 2025 survey. That is 6% of the Iowa total of 10,190. 5 areas in Iowa have more; the closest in size is the Northwest Iowa nonmetro area, with about 790.
Does an office manager cost more than an executive assistant in the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area?
Yes: $3,690 a year more at the median. The medians are $57,940 and $54,250.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-1011: 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.