Dental Assistants pay in Iowa
$50,450avg. a year
$24.25 an hour · 3,210 employed
Dental Assistants in Iowa earn an average of $50,450 a year. That is about the same as the U.S. average of $50,200. The best-paying metro area is Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA at $52,570.
$48,430Median pay
$24.25Average hourly
+13%Avg. pay since 2020
#19Of 49 states + D.C.
Top-paying Iowa metro areas
Average pay for dental assistants by metro area. Swipe to see all 9.
1660 jobs
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
$52,570
$25.27 an hour
2280 jobs
Iowa City, IA
$52,290
$25.14 an hour
3110 jobs
Ames, IA
$51,500
$24.76 an hour
4370 jobs
Cedar Rapids, IA
$51,110
$24.57 an hour
5190 jobs
Sioux City, IA-NE-SD
$51,060
$24.55 an hour
6170 jobs
Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
$50,510
$24.29 an hour
7380 jobs
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL
$49,760
$23.92 an hour
8160 jobs
Dubuque, IA
$49,640
$23.86 an hour
91,150 jobs
Omaha, NE-IA
$48,260
$23.20 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Dental Assistants pay in Iowa, charted
Pay over time
Iowa, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where Iowa dental assistants work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · Iowa highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $46k$46k–$50k$50k–$53k$53k+Iowa
Iowa vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $50,200 | $24.13 |
| Iowa | $50,450 | $24.25 |
| Minnesota | $64,740 | $31.13 |
| South Dakota | $50,170 | $24.12 |
| Wisconsin | $49,150 | $23.63 |
| Illinois | $48,990 | $23.56 |
| Missouri | $46,790 | $22.49 |
Related jobs in Iowa
- Medical Assistants$44,930
- Home Health and Personal Care Aides$36,940
- Nursing Assistants$41,490
- Phlebotomists$40,290
- Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers$37,050
- Healthcare Support Workers, All Other$46,950
Average pay, Iowa, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do dental assistants make in Iowa?
The average is $50,450 a year, and the median is $48,430. That is about the same as the U.S. average of $50,200.
What is the hourly wage in Iowa?
$24.25 an hour on average; the median is $23.28.
Where in Iowa do they earn the most?
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA ($52,570), followed by Iowa City, IA ($52,290). The lowest average among 9 metro areas with data is Omaha, NE-IA ($48,260).
How does Iowa rank?
Iowa ranks #19 of 50 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 31-9091. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national dental assistants page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.