Nursing Assistants Salary in Iowa
Nursing Assistants in Iowa have a median of $39,350 a year, below the national $42,260 (−7%); the state ranks 31st of 51 states by median. That is 19% less than the median across all occupations in Iowa ($48,540). Among neighbouring states, Minnesota, Illinois, Wisconsin and Nebraska pay more (up to $46,680 in Minnesota) and South Dakota and Missouri pay less (down to $37,680 in Missouri). Iowa employs 22,670 nursing assistants, 14.5 per 1,000 jobs, the 24th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.56 means the occupation is more concentrated 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 | $17.13 | $17.96 | $18.92 | $21.95 | $23.07 | $19.95 | 22,670 | 14.54 | 1.56 |
| Annual | $35,620 | $37,360 | $39,350 | $45,650 | $47,980 | $41,490 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $16.32 | $17.91 | $20.32 | $22.70 | $24.99 | $20.53 | 1,448,910 | – | – |
| Annual | $33,940 | $37,260 | $42,260 | $47,220 | $51,980 | $42,700 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 31st of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 24th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.56
- Jobs per 1,000
- 14.54
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 nursing 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $21.13 | $43,940 | $35,420 | $50,630 | 4,660 | 11.54 | 1.24 |
| Ames, IA | $20.93 | $43,540 | $37,010 | $48,920 | 770 | 13.74 | 1.47 |
| Dubuque, IA | $19.99 | $41,580 | $36,850 | $50,430 | 1,010 | 17.28 | 1.85 |
| Omaha, NE-IA | $19.24 | $40,020 | $37,750 | $49,760 | 7,740 | 15.55 | 1.67 |
| Iowa City, IA | $18.91 | $39,330 | $35,060 | $50,630 | 1,310 | 13.97 | 1.50 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | $18.80 | $39,110 | $35,350 | $49,810 | 1,740 | 12.52 | 1.34 |
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $18.72 | $38,940 | $36,410 | $48,090 | 930 | 12.43 | 1.33 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $18.72 | $38,930 | $35,790 | $46,560 | 1,440 | 17.04 | 1.83 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $18.62 | $38,740 | $36,100 | $46,810 | 2,220 | 12.28 | 1.32 |
| Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $18.79 | $39,070 | $36,180 | $46,310 | 3,070 | 21.00 | 2.25 |
| Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $18.76 | $39,020 | $35,680 | $46,540 | 1,770 | 17.85 | 1.92 |
| Southwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $18.71 | $38,910 | $33,320 | $46,200 | 1,400 | 19.07 | 2.05 |
| Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $18.64 | $38,780 | $35,730 | $46,190 | 2,990 | 14.93 | 1.60 |
Neighbouring states
See the national page for Nursing 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.