How Much Does a Dental Assistant Make in Cedar Rapids, IA in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Assistants in Cedar Rapids, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Iowa.
BLS OES May 2025 · Cedar Rapids metro area
A typical Dental Assistant in Cedar Rapids, Iowa earns $23.23 per hour, or $48,310 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $4,026 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $39,380, and the top 10% of earners make over $59,860.
That pay is right at the Iowa figure of $48,430 and right at the national figure of $48,070. Cedar Rapids ranks 5th of 8 metro areas in Iowa for Dental Assistant pay. About 370 Dental Assistants work in the Cedar Rapids area.
Dental Assistant pay in Cedar Rapids at a glance
- Typical pay is $23.23 an hour, or $48,310 a year.
- That is right at the Iowa figure, ranking 5th of 8 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $39,380; the top 10% make over $59,860.
- Typical pay rose +11% from 2015 to 2025, against +29% for Iowa as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Assistant make in Cedar Rapids?
Pay in Cedar Rapids runs from entry-level positions at around $18.93 an hour to more than $28.78 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Iowa and national figures.
Dental Assistant pay by career stage in Cedar Rapids
| Career stage | Cedar Rapids | Iowa | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $39,380$18.93 an hour | $39,360$18.92 an hour | $37,130$17.85 an hour |
| First years | $47,220$22.70 an hour | $45,990$22.11 an hour | $44,340$21.32 an hour |
| Typical Dental Assistant | $48,310$23.23 an hour | $48,430$23.28 an hour | $48,070$23.11 an hour |
| Experienced | $57,600$27.69 an hour | $57,620$27.70 an hour | $58,090$27.93 an hour |
| Top 10% | $59,860$28.78 an hour | $59,580$28.65 an hour | $62,250$29.93 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Cedar Rapids area as BLS defines it
Dental Assistant pay growth in Cedar Rapids
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Assistants in the Cedar Rapids area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Assistant pay in Cedar Rapids was $43,420 a year. By 2025 it had reached $48,310, a change of +11%, compared with +29% for Iowa over the same years.
How Cedar Rapids compares with other Iowa cities
Des Moines pays Dental Assistants the most in Iowa at $50,020 a year, $1,710 more than Cedar Rapids. The lowest-paying area in the state is Davenport at $47,410.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Cedar Rapids | Dental Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Des Moines metro incl. West Des Moines | $50,020 | $24.05 | +4% | 660 |
| 2 | Iowa City | $49,230 | $23.67 | +2% | 280 |
| 3 | Ames | $49,140 | $23.63 | +2% | 110 |
| 4 | Sioux City | $48,590 | $23.36 | +1% | 190 |
| 5 | Cedar Rapids | $48,310 | $23.23 | this city | 370 |
| 6 | Cedar Falls metro incl. Waterloo | $47,970 | $23.06 | -1% | 170 |
| 7 | Dubuque | $47,850 | $23.00 | -1% | 160 |
| 8 | Davenport | $47,410 | $22.79 | -2% | 380 |
Every metro area in Iowa with Dental Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Iowa typical pay $48,430
Is Cedar Rapids a good place to work as a Dental Assistant?
Dental Assistant pay in Cedar Rapids sits close to the national figure: $48,310 a year, right at the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Cedar Rapids area, about 2.7 are Dental Assistant positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 2.5. Dental Assistant jobs make up about the same share of the job market as they do across the country.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Dental Assistant make in Cedar Rapids, IA?
- A typical Dental Assistant in Cedar Rapids earns $48,310 a year, or $23.23 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $39,380 and the top 10% earn over $59,860.
- How much does a Dental Assistant make an hour in Cedar Rapids?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Assistants in Cedar Rapids is $23.23. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $18.93, and the top 10% earn over $28.78 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Assistant in Cedar Rapids?
- Entry-level Dental Assistant positions in Cedar Rapids typically offer around $18.93 an hour, or $39,380 a year.
- Is Dental Assistant pay in Cedar Rapids higher than in the rest of Iowa?
- Cedar Rapids pay is right at the Iowa figure of $48,430 a year, ranking 5th of 8 metro areas in the state. Des Moines pays the most in Iowa at $50,020.