Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive Salary in Iowa
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive in Iowa have a median of $45,150 a year, below the national $47,540 (−5%); the state ranks 35th of 51 states by median. That is 7% less than the median across all occupations in Iowa ($48,540). Among neighbouring states, Minnesota, Illinois, Wisconsin and Nebraska pay more (up to $51,400 in Minnesota) and Missouri and South Dakota pay less (down to $41,700 in South Dakota). Iowa employs 12,830 secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive, 8.23 per 1,000 jobs, the 36th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.75 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 | $16.29 | $18.29 | $21.71 | $24.56 | $29.21 | $22.01 | 12,830 | 8.23 | 0.75 |
| Annual | $33,880 | $38,040 | $45,150 | $51,070 | $60,760 | $45,770 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $16.00 | $18.67 | $22.86 | $27.89 | $31.90 | $23.73 | 1,706,790 | – | – |
| Annual | $33,280 | $38,830 | $47,540 | $58,000 | $66,350 | $49,350 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 35th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 36th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.75
- Jobs per 1,000
- 8.23
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 secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ames, IA | $23.44 | $48,740 | $36,640 | $61,600 | 620 | 11.15 | 1.02 |
| Omaha, NE-IA | $22.96 | $47,760 | $37,810 | $63,720 | 7,090 | 14.23 | 1.30 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $22.84 | $47,500 | $35,490 | $63,510 | 3,110 | 7.70 | 0.70 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $22.22 | $46,230 | $35,270 | $62,100 | 720 | 8.58 | 0.78 |
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $22.09 | $45,950 | $34,920 | $61,360 | 640 | 8.50 | 0.77 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $21.97 | $45,710 | $31,750 | $62,380 | 1,670 | 9.26 | 0.84 |
| Dubuque, IA | $21.84 | $45,430 | $35,820 | $61,290 | 440 | 7.57 | 0.69 |
| Iowa City, IA | $21.82 | $45,390 | $35,250 | $62,780 | 630 | 6.75 | 0.62 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | $21.69 | $45,110 | $36,120 | $60,240 | 1,290 | 9.27 | 0.84 |
| Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $20.50 | $42,640 | $30,210 | $57,680 | 1,650 | 8.26 | 0.75 |
| Southwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $20.35 | $42,340 | $31,200 | $52,920 | 680 | 9.29 | 0.85 |
| Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $20.05 | $41,700 | $33,930 | $53,980 | 1,030 | 10.35 | 0.94 |
| Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $19.14 | $39,810 | $31,410 | $55,690 | 1,150 | 7.88 | 0.72 |
Neighbouring states
See the national page for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive (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.