Office Manager salary in the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area
The Southeast Iowa nonmetro area is a lower-cost market for office managers: the median of $62,440 a year1 is 3.0% below the Iowa statewide median of $64,400, and 10.2% below the US median of $69,500. Nationally it ranks #266 of 519 areas. BLS counts about 1,100 people in this job here, 11% of the Iowa total.
BLS occupation 43-1011, area Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area against Iowa and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southeast Iowa (Nonmetro) | $41,620 | $62,440 | $93,580 | |
| Iowa | $43,680 | $64,400 | $97,710 | |
| United States | $45,610 | $69,500 | $104,710 |
Office managers at the 90th percentile earn $93,580, 2.2 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.3. The middle half of office managers in the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area earns $49,200–$75,870. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $26,670 wide, against $29,000 across Iowa and $29,140 nationally: employers in the Southeast 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 | $41,620 | $3,468 | $20.01 | $53,703 |
| 25th percentile | $49,200 | $4,100 | $23.65 | $63,484 |
| Median | $62,440 | $5,203 | $30.02 | $80,568 |
| 75th percentile | $75,870 | $6,322 | $36.48 | $97,897 |
| 90th percentile | $93,580 | $7,798 | $44.99 | $120,748 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $13,430 a year in pay and about $17,329 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $13,240 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 $69,500 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area, and the Iowa statewide median of $64,400 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area
At the $62,440 median, a local hire costs about $80,568 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $18,128 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 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 Southeast Iowa nonmetro area
Of the 17 roles we track in the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area, this one ranks #6 by median pay, between sales development representatives ($62,460) and executive assistants ($59,220). Project Coordinator is the highest at $84,430.
| Role | Median | vs office manager | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marketing Specialist | +2.9% | 850 | |
| Sales Development Representative | +0.0% | 450 | |
| Office Manager | this role | 1,100 | |
| Executive Assistant | -5.2% | 280 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -14.2% | 190 |
Measured against the US median, office managers rank #9 of the 17 roles we track in the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area (-10.2%), between accountants (-9.9%) and administrative assistants (-10.3%). The typical role here is at -10.2%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Office managers hold 8.1% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the Southeast 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 2 areas in Iowa with more office managers than the Southeast 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 Southeast Iowa nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar Rapids, IA | +2.1% | 1,020 | |
| Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | +0.9% | 1,160 | |
| Northwest Iowa (Nonmetro) | +0.2% | 790 | |
| Southeast Iowa (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,100 | |
| Sioux City, IA-NE | -1.1% | 420 | |
| Southwest Iowa (Nonmetro) | -2.3% | 430 | |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | -3.2% | 500 |
the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area is #218 of 517 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Iowa, St. George and Las Vegas-Henderson pay just above the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area and Scranton-Wilkes-Barre and Tulsa just below. All four are within $90 a year of the median in the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many office managers, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Midland, TX | +16.9% | 1,100 | jobs | |
| Las Vegas-Henderson, NV | +0.1% | 11,110 | pay | |
| St. George, UT | +0.1% | 950 | pay | |
| Southeast Iowa (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,100 | ||
| Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, PA | -0.1% | 2,500 | pay | |
| Tulsa, OK | -0.1% | 5,410 | pay | |
| Gainesville, FL | -0.8% | 1,120 | jobs | |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | -3.9% | 1,120 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an office manager in Southeast Iowa (Nonmetro)?
About $80,568 a year at the median, or $6,714 a month: $62,440 in pay plus about $18,128 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do office managers earn in the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area?
The median was $62,440 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $41,620, the 90th $93,580, and the middle half earned $49,200 to $75,870.
Is the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Iowa for office managers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $62,440 against $64,400 statewide. The next area up in Iowa is the Northwest Iowa nonmetro area at $62,540, the next down Sioux City at $61,760.
How many office managers work in the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 1,100 in the May 2025 survey. That is 11% of the Iowa total of 10,190. Only Des Moines-West Des Moines and Davenport-Moline have more in Iowa.
Does an office manager cost more than an executive assistant in the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area?
Yes: $3,220 a year more at the median. The medians are $62,440 and $59,220.
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.