How Much Does a Medical Assistant Make in Des Moines, IA in 2026?
Typical pay for Medical Assistants in Des Moines, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Iowa.
BLS OES May 2025 · Des Moines · West Des Moines metro area
A typical Medical Assistant in Des Moines, Iowa earns $22.56 per hour, or $46,920 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $3,910 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $36,470, and the top 10% of earners make over $58,240.
That pay is 3% above the Iowa figure of $45,480 and 3% above the national figure of $45,690. Des Moines ranks 1st of 8 metro areas in Iowa for Medical Assistant pay. About 1,780 Medical Assistants work in the Des Moines · West Des Moines area. Des Moines is part of the Des Moines · West Des Moines metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so West Des Moines share these figures.
Medical Assistant pay in Des Moines at a glance
- Typical pay is $22.56 an hour, or $46,920 a year.
- That is 3% above the Iowa figure, ranking 1st of 8 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $36,470; the top 10% make over $58,240.
- Typical pay rose +34% from 2015 to 2025, against +51% for Iowa as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Medical Assistant make in Des Moines?
Pay in Des Moines runs from entry-level positions at around $17.53 an hour to more than $28.00 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Iowa and national figures.
Medical Assistant pay by career stage in Des Moines
| Career stage | Des Moines | Iowa | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $36,470$17.53 an hour | $36,730$17.66 an hour | $36,050$17.33 an hour |
| First years | $39,520$19.00 an hour | $38,980$18.74 an hour | $38,470$18.50 an hour |
| Typical Medical Assistant | $46,920$22.56 an hour | $45,480$21.87 an hour | $45,690$21.97 an hour |
| Experienced | $48,970$23.54 an hour | $48,030$23.09 an hour | $49,180$23.65 an hour |
| Top 10% | $58,240$28.00 an hour | $54,960$26.42 an hour | $59,310$28.52 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Des Moines · West Des Moines area as BLS defines it
Medical Assistant pay growth in Des Moines
Typical (median) annual wage for Medical Assistants in the Des Moines · West Des Moines area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Medical Assistant pay in Des Moines was $35,070 a year. By 2025 it had reached $46,920, a change of +34%, compared with +51% for Iowa over the same years.
How Des Moines compares with other Iowa cities
Des Moines pays Medical Assistants the most of any metro area in Iowa. The lowest-paying area in the state is Iowa City at $43,550.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Des Moines | Medical Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Des Moines metro incl. West Des Moines | $46,920 | $22.56 | this city | 1,780 |
| 2 | Cedar Rapids | $46,480 | $22.35 | -1% | 510 |
| 3 | Ames | $45,810 | $22.02 | -2% | 180 |
| 4 | Cedar Falls metro incl. Waterloo | $45,660 | $21.95 | -3% | 390 |
| 5 | Sioux City | $45,650 | $21.95 | -3% | 280 |
| 6 | Dubuque | $44,730 | $21.51 | -5% | 210 |
| 7 | Davenport | $44,700 | $21.49 | -5% | 840 |
| 8 | Iowa City | $43,550 | $20.94 | -7% | 480 |
Every metro area in Iowa with Medical Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Iowa typical pay $45,480
Is Des Moines a good place to work as a Medical Assistant?
Medical Assistant pay in Des Moines sits close to the national figure: $46,920 a year, 3% above the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Des Moines · West Des Moines area, about 4.4 are Medical Assistant positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 5.2. That makes Medical Assistants a smaller part of the local job market than usual, so employers draw from a smaller pool of qualified candidates.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Medical Assistant make in Des Moines, IA?
- A typical Medical Assistant in Des Moines earns $46,920 a year, or $22.56 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $36,470 and the top 10% earn over $58,240.
- How much does a Medical Assistant make an hour in Des Moines?
- Typical hourly pay for Medical Assistants in Des Moines is $22.56. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $17.53, and the top 10% earn over $28.00 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Medical Assistant in Des Moines?
- Entry-level Medical Assistant positions in Des Moines typically offer around $17.53 an hour, or $36,470 a year.
- Is Medical Assistant pay in Des Moines higher than in the rest of Iowa?
- Des Moines pay is 3% above the Iowa figure of $45,480 a year, ranking 1st of 8 metro areas in the state.