How Much Does a Medical Assistant Make in Waterloo, IA in 2026?
Typical pay for Medical Assistants in Waterloo, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Iowa.
BLS OES May 2025 · Waterloo · Cedar Falls metro area
A typical Medical Assistant in Waterloo, Iowa earns $21.95 per hour, or $45,660 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $3,805 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $36,780, and the top 10% of earners make over $50,710.
That pay is right at the Iowa figure of $45,480 and right at the national figure of $45,690. Waterloo ranks 4th of 8 metro areas in Iowa for Medical Assistant pay. About 390 Medical Assistants work in the Waterloo · Cedar Falls area. Waterloo is part of the Waterloo · Cedar Falls metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Cedar Falls share these figures.
Medical Assistant pay in Waterloo at a glance
- Typical pay is $21.95 an hour, or $45,660 a year.
- That is right at the Iowa figure, ranking 4th of 8 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $36,780; the top 10% make over $50,710.
- Typical pay rose +63% from 2015 to 2025, against +51% for Iowa as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Medical Assistant make in Waterloo?
Pay in Waterloo runs from entry-level positions at around $17.68 an hour to more than $24.38 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 Waterloo
| Career stage | Waterloo | Iowa | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $36,780$17.68 an hour | $36,730$17.66 an hour | $36,050$17.33 an hour |
| First years | $37,870$18.21 an hour | $38,980$18.74 an hour | $38,470$18.50 an hour |
| Typical Medical Assistant | $45,660$21.95 an hour | $45,480$21.87 an hour | $45,690$21.97 an hour |
| Experienced | $46,810$22.50 an hour | $48,030$23.09 an hour | $49,180$23.65 an hour |
| Top 10% | $50,710$24.38 an hour | $54,960$26.42 an hour | $59,310$28.52 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Waterloo · Cedar Falls area as BLS defines it
Medical Assistant pay growth in Waterloo
Typical (median) annual wage for Medical Assistants in the Waterloo · Cedar Falls area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Medical Assistant pay in Waterloo was $27,950 a year. By 2025 it had reached $45,660, a change of +63%, compared with +51% for Iowa over the same years.
How Waterloo compares with other Iowa cities
West Des Moines pays Medical Assistants the most in Iowa at $46,920 a year, $1,260 more than Waterloo. The lowest-paying area in the state is Iowa City at $43,550.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Waterloo | Medical Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Des Moines metro incl. Des Moines | $46,920 | $22.56 | +3% | 1,780 |
| 2 | Cedar Rapids | $46,480 | $22.35 | +2% | 510 |
| 3 | Ames | $45,810 | $22.02 | 0% | 180 |
| 4 | Waterloo metro incl. Cedar Falls | $45,660 | $21.95 | this city | 390 |
| 5 | Sioux City | $45,650 | $21.95 | 0% | 280 |
| 6 | Dubuque | $44,730 | $21.51 | -2% | 210 |
| 7 | Davenport | $44,700 | $21.49 | -2% | 840 |
| 8 | Iowa City | $43,550 | $20.94 | -5% | 480 |
Every metro area in Iowa with Medical Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Iowa typical pay $45,480
Is Waterloo a good place to work as a Medical Assistant?
Medical Assistant pay in Waterloo sits close to the national figure: $45,660 a year, right at the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Waterloo · Cedar Falls area, about 4.6 are Medical Assistant positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 5.3. Medical 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 Medical Assistant make in Waterloo, IA?
- A typical Medical Assistant in Waterloo earns $45,660 a year, or $21.95 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $36,780 and the top 10% earn over $50,710.
- How much does a Medical Assistant make an hour in Waterloo?
- Typical hourly pay for Medical Assistants in Waterloo is $21.95. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $17.68, and the top 10% earn over $24.38 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Medical Assistant in Waterloo?
- Entry-level Medical Assistant positions in Waterloo typically offer around $17.68 an hour, or $36,780 a year.
- Is Medical Assistant pay in Waterloo higher than in the rest of Iowa?
- Waterloo pay is right at the Iowa figure of $45,480 a year, ranking 4th of 8 metro areas in the state. West Des Moines pays the most in Iowa at $46,920.