Updated October 15, 2026

Physician Assistant salary in Iowa

Physician Assistants in Iowa earn a median of $64.14 per hour, about $133,400 a year, in line with the U.S. median of $64.07. The middle half earn between $57.05 and $72.44 per hour. The highest median among Iowa metro areas is in Iowa City, IA, at $66.52 per hour. Source: BLS, May 2024.

Physician Assistant pay in Iowa: percentiles

LevelIowa per hourIowa per yearU.S. per hour
Lowest 10%$52.11$108,390$45.79
Lower quartile$57.05$118,660$54.70
Median$64.14$133,400$64.07
Upper quartile$72.44$150,680$77.00
Top 10%$82.94$172,520$87.60

Physician Assistant pay by metro area in Iowa

Metro areaMedian / hrMedian / yearEmployedvs Iowa medianAfter cost of living
Iowa City, IA$66.52$138,3603404% above$72.69
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA$64.61$134,4002601% above$70.46
Cedar Rapids, IA$63.12$131,280902% below$70.95
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL$60.93$126,7401105% below$68.40
Sioux City, IA-NE-SD$60.82$126,500905% below$70.35
Dubuque, IA$60.20$125,210306% below$68.94
Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA$59.77$124,330507% below$68.66
Ames, IA$58.59$121,870309% below$65.96

Metro areas with 30 or more workers in the BLS sample. After cost of living divides the median by the BEA regional price index (U.S. = 100).

Physician Assistant pay in states next to Iowa

StateMedian / hrMedian / yearCompared with Iowa
Illinois$59.13$122,9908% below Iowa
Minnesota$66.97$139,3004% above Iowa
Missouri$66.92$139,2004% above Iowa
Nebraska$61.66$128,2404% below Iowa
South Dakota$61.60$128,1304% below Iowa
Wisconsin$63.86$132,820in line with Iowa

What employers are posting in Iowa

  • 3roles with published pay
  • $68.96median pay per hour
  • $53–$85typical published range
  • 1employers hiring
EmployerRolesMedian pay / hour
Veterans Health Administration3$68.96

Midpoints of pay ranges in 3 postings collected October 15, 2026. Posted pay is a different measure from the BLS survey above and can run higher or lower.

Physician Assistant jobs in Iowa · Physician Assistant salary nationwide · Iowa state guide · Iowa licensing guide

Common questions

How much does a physician assistant make in Iowa?

The median is $64.14 per hour, about $133,400 a year. The lowest 10% earn under $52.11 and the top 10% earn over $82.94 (BLS, May 2024).

Which Iowa city pays physician assistants the most?

Among Iowa metro areas, Iowa City, IA has the highest median at $66.52 per hour. See the metro table for the rest and for pay after cost of living.

Where does Iowa rank for physician assistant pay?

Iowa ranks 22nd of 50 states by median physician assistant pay.

Is this the same as the pay in job postings?

No. BLS figures come from a survey of employers and cover all workers in the occupation. Posted pay is the range an employer lists on one open role. Both are useful: use the survey for the market and the posting for a specific job.

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Your PA pay reportTop-paying hospitals shown · your Iowa list by name comes with the full report

1Pay for your role at other hospitals

  • Veterans Health AdministrationIowa City, IA · 3 postings$68.96/ hr$53–$85
  • Stanford Children's HealthPALO ALTO, CA · 4 postings$104.30/ hr$94–$115
  • Valley Children's HealthcareMadera, CA · 3 postings$103.69/ hr$75–$123
  • MarinHealthGreenbrae, CA · 4 postings$100.70/ hr$86–$108

Median posted pay per hour, with the range each employer published. Request your Iowa list

2What they are offering now

Low$53Median$68.96High$85

3 PA postings with published pay in Iowa, 3 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.

3Open now: 3 PA roles

  1. Physician Assistant - Cardiology ElectrophysiologyPermanent
    $111k–$176k/ year
    Veterans Health Administration · Iowa City, IA · posted 7 days ago
  2. Physician Assistant - Primary CarePermanent
    $110k–$174k/ year
    Veterans Health Administration · Burlington, IA · posted 7 days ago

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