How much does an MA make in Iowa?

BLS reports a median annual wage of $43,670 for MAs in Iowa as of the latest OES release. That is the 50th-percentile figure — half earn more, half earn less. The 25th-percentile is $38,360 and the 75th-percentile is $47,370.

Why is the BEA RPP for Iowa different from a single CPI number?

BEA splits regional price parity into three components — goods, services, and rents — reweighted to the BEA's national consumption basket. Iowa's overall index of 88.8 reflects rents 66.0, services 87.3, and goods 96.6.

Where does Iowa rank for MA pay?

On nominal BLS wages alone, Iowa ranks among the 51 states and DC by median pay. After the BEA cost-of-living adjustment the ordering changes — high-cost states fall, low-cost states rise. Both rankings are shown in the data table on this page.

How wide is the wage spread in Iowa?

P10 to P90 spans $36,190 to $50,950. That spread captures entry-level to top-quartile pay, including specialty differentials and metro-area variance within the state.

Is Iowa a 'real-wage arbitrage' state for MAs?

Yes — the BEA RPP of 88.8 is below the national 100 baseline, so nominal $43,670 stretches to a real-wage equivalent of $49,195. The take-home advantage versus a higher-RPP state is meaningful for MAs comparing offers across regions.

Does CMA / RMA certification raise medical assistant pay in Iowa?

BLS does not split certified from uncertified medical assistants under SOC 31-9092. In Iowa, AAMA-certified Medical Assistant (CMA) and AMT Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) credentials typically command a 5-15% pay premium versus uncertified MAs at comparable experience. The premium is concentrated in larger health systems and specialty clinics with formal MA tier structures; smaller primary-care practices in Iowa often pay similarly regardless of certification. Phlebotomy, EKG, and limited-X-ray endorsements add additional 3-8% premiums where state scope permits.

Specialty MA pay (cardiology / dermatology / ortho) vs primary care in Iowa?

BLS aggregates all medical assistants under one SOC. In Iowa, specialty practice MAs — particularly in dermatology, cardiology, orthopedics, and ophthalmology — typically earn 10-20% above primary-care MA pay, reflecting tighter procedural support requirements and longer training ramps. Surgical specialty MAs assisting in office-based procedures (skin biopsies, in-office injections, vascular ultrasound assist) sit at the top of the BLS band in Iowa. Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and community-health clinics in Iowa typically pay below BLS median but offer PSLF eligibility and stronger benefits.

Iowa Medical Assistant Salary: BLS $44K Median, Real $49K (2026)

TL;DR

BLS reports Iowa MA median pay at $43,670. Adjusted for state cost of living, real purchasing power equals $49,195.
State ranks #23 nationally on nominal wage, #7 on real (RPP-adjusted) wage.
Cost of living below the national index lifts real wage by $5,525 over the nominal — a take-home arbitrage that nominal-ranking tables miss.
Wage envelope: $36,190 (P10) to $50,950 (P90), with quartiles at $38,360 and $47,370.

Wage breakdown — Iowa

Percentile	Nominal (BLS)	Real (BEA RPP-adjusted)
P10 (entry tier)	$36,190	$40,769
P25 (lower quartile)	$38,360	$43,213
P50 (median)	$43,670	$49,195
P75 (upper quartile)	$47,370	$53,363
P90 (top tier)	$50,950	$57,396
Mean	$43,500	$49,004
Employment	5,260 MAs in Iowa

Cost of living — BEA Regional Price Parity

Component	Iowa index (US = 100)
All-items RPP	88.8
Goods	96.6
Services	87.3
Rents	66.0

Iowa sits below the national baseline (RPP 88.8), so nominal pay translates to a higher real wage than the BLS median suggests — particularly visible in rents at 66.0.

After-tax take-home — Iowa (2024 BLS · 2024 tax year, single filer)

Layer-by-layer take-home math at the BLS median

Layer	Amount	Note
Gross BLS P50 (MA)	$43,670	nominal median
Federal income tax	−$3,102	7.1% effective; std deduction $15,750 applied
State income tax	−$1,061	3.8% flat (2026, SF 2417 fully phased)
FICA (SS 6.2% + Medicare 1.45%)	−$3,341	SS capped at $183,600 wage base
Take-home (after-tax)	$36,166	82.8% of gross
Real take-home (RPP-adjusted)	$40,742	÷ (88.8 / 100) BEA cost-of-living

What the Iowa state-tax burden means for MA take-home

Iowa's state tax is light at this income tier (~2.4% effective). The bigger compensation lever is the below-baseline cost of living (RPP 88.8), which lifts real take-home above nominal after-tax — net real after-tax $40,742.

Computed from 2026 IRS federal brackets (Rev. Proc. 2025-32), 2026 state DOR brackets, and 2026 FICA rates. Single filer, standard deduction, no other adjustments. See methodology · tax for limitations (married filers, ITM/SALT itemizers, retirement deferrals, HSA, dependent credits, etc.).

National context

Across the United States, BLS reports a national median of $44,200 for MAs with mean pay of $44,720 and total employment of 793,460. Iowa sits at #23 on nominal pay and #7 on real (cost-adjusted) pay among the 51 states and DC. After cost adjustment, Iowa climbs 16 positions — the cost of living is favorable relative to the wage.

Frequently asked questions

How much does an MA make in Iowa?: BLS reports a median annual wage of $43,670 for MAs in Iowa as of the latest OES release. That is the 50th-percentile figure — half earn more, half earn less. The 25th-percentile is $38,360 and the 75th-percentile is $47,370.
Why is the BEA RPP for Iowa different from a single CPI number?: BEA splits regional price parity into three components — goods, services, and rents — reweighted to the BEA's national consumption basket. Iowa's overall index of 88.8 reflects rents 66.0, services 87.3, and goods 96.6.
Where does Iowa rank for MA pay?: On nominal BLS wages alone, Iowa ranks among the 51 states and DC by median pay. After the BEA cost-of-living adjustment the ordering changes — high-cost states fall, low-cost states rise. Both rankings are shown in the data table on this page.
How wide is the wage spread in Iowa?: P10 to P90 spans $36,190 to $50,950. That spread captures entry-level to top-quartile pay, including specialty differentials and metro-area variance within the state.
Is Iowa a 'real-wage arbitrage' state for MAs?: Yes — the BEA RPP of 88.8 is below the national 100 baseline, so nominal $43,670 stretches to a real-wage equivalent of $49,195. The take-home advantage versus a higher-RPP state is meaningful for MAs comparing offers across regions.
Does CMA / RMA certification raise medical assistant pay in Iowa?: BLS does not split certified from uncertified medical assistants under SOC 31-9092. In Iowa, AAMA-certified Medical Assistant (CMA) and AMT Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) credentials typically command a 5-15% pay premium versus uncertified MAs at comparable experience. The premium is concentrated in larger health systems and specialty clinics with formal MA tier structures; smaller primary-care practices in Iowa often pay similarly regardless of certification. Phlebotomy, EKG, and limited-X-ray endorsements add additional 3-8% premiums where state scope permits.
Specialty MA pay (cardiology / dermatology / ortho) vs primary care in Iowa?: BLS aggregates all medical assistants under one SOC. In Iowa, specialty practice MAs — particularly in dermatology, cardiology, orthopedics, and ophthalmology — typically earn 10-20% above primary-care MA pay, reflecting tighter procedural support requirements and longer training ramps. Surgical specialty MAs assisting in office-based procedures (skin biopsies, in-office injections, vascular ultrasound assist) sit at the top of the BLS band in Iowa. Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and community-health clinics in Iowa typically pay below BLS median but offer PSLF eligibility and stronger benefits.

Sources & methodology

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES), SOC 31-9092, 2024 reference period.
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities, 2023 vintage (all-items, goods, services, rents).
Real-wage figures = nominal BLS wage ÷ (state RPP / 100).
See the methodology page for full computation details and limitations.

By Marcus Liang · Founder & Editor · Last synced 2026-05-07.

Cross-comparison: see how Iowa MA pay ranks against the other 254 state × occupation pages on the Real Wage Atlas → — four-way ranking by real wage, after-tax take-home, state-tax savings, and cost-of-living arbitrage.