Medical Assistants Salary in Iowa
At $45,480 a year, the median for medical assistants in Iowa is close to the national median of $45,690 (0%); Iowa ranks 24th of 51 states by median. That is 6% less than the median across all occupations in Iowa ($48,540). Among neighbouring states, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Nebraska and Illinois pay more (up to $50,480 in Minnesota) and South Dakota and Missouri pay less (down to $40,440 in Missouri). Iowa employs 5,990 medical assistants, 3.84 per 1,000 jobs, the 32nd largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.73 means it is less common in Iowa than nationally.
Iowa vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Iowa | Hourly | $17.66 | $18.74 | $21.87 | $23.09 | $26.42 | $21.60 | 5,990 | 3.84 | 0.73 |
| Annual | $36,730 | $38,980 | $45,480 | $48,030 | $54,960 | $44,930 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $17.33 | $18.50 | $21.97 | $23.65 | $28.52 | $22.17 | 817,870 | – | – |
| Annual | $36,050 | $38,470 | $45,690 | $49,180 | $59,310 | $46,120 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 24th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 32nd of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.73
- Jobs per 1,000
- 3.84
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Iowa's employment divided by its national share; 1.00 means the same share as the nation. Take-home pay at these wages: FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Metropolitan areas in Iowa
9 metropolitan areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas touching Iowa publish a row for medical assistants, sorted by median. Areas crossing a state line are listed under every state they touch; a linked metro has its own profile.
| Area | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Omaha, NE-IA | $23.08 | $48,010 | $39,120 | $59,110 | 1,400 | 2.81 | 0.53 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $22.56 | $46,920 | $36,470 | $58,240 | 1,780 | 4.40 | 0.84 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | $22.35 | $46,480 | $37,770 | $58,290 | 510 | 3.67 | 0.70 |
| Ames, IA | $22.02 | $45,810 | $37,270 | $50,340 | 180 | 3.19 | 0.61 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $21.95 | $45,660 | $36,780 | $50,710 | 390 | 4.61 | 0.88 |
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $21.95 | $45,650 | $36,760 | $54,700 | 280 | 3.68 | 0.70 |
| Dubuque, IA | $21.51 | $44,730 | $37,680 | $56,610 | 210 | 3.65 | 0.69 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $21.49 | $44,700 | $37,140 | $48,750 | 840 | 4.65 | 0.88 |
| Iowa City, IA | $20.94 | $43,550 | $39,180 | $59,080 | 480 | 5.08 | 0.97 |
| Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $21.13 | $43,960 | $33,780 | $50,400 | 370 | 3.77 | 0.72 |
| Southwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $20.30 | $42,230 | $36,290 | $50,600 | 180 | 2.45 | 0.47 |
| Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $20.29 | $42,200 | $36,260 | $48,540 | 410 | 2.80 | 0.53 |
| Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $20.00 | $41,600 | $36,260 | $49,250 | 590 | 2.92 | 0.56 |
Neighbouring states
See the national page for Medical Assistants (every state ranked) and the Iowa wage profile (every occupation in the state).
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS Iowa estimates.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.