Medical Assistants Salary
The median pay for a medical assistants in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA is $45,660/year ($21.95/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $51K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.06), which stretches that salary to about $52,447 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,051/month, about 33.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $46K get you in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Waterloo-Cedar Falls’s Regional Price Parity (87.06). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About medical assistants
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What this looks like in Waterloo-Cedar Falls
Medical assistants pay in Waterloo-Cedar Falls tracks closely to the national median, $46K locally vs. $46K nationwide, a 0% difference. Rent runs $1,051/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 34.5% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.06 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for medical assistants in metros near Waterloo-Cedar Falls, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $47K | $51K |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $45K | $50K |
| Cedar Rapids | $46K | $52K |
| Iowa City | $44K | $48K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
Entry-level medical assistants (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $46K. Top earners bring in $51K or more, a $14K spread from bottom to top.
Medical Assistants pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Medical Assistants salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $59K | +30% | 19,500 |
| Alaska | $53K | +15% | 2,140 |
| District of Columbia | $51K | +12% | 2,260 |
| Minnesota | $50K | +10% | 10,580 |
| Oregon | $50K | +10% | 11,840 |
| California | $50K | +9% | 117,060 |
| Massachusetts | $49K | +8% | 14,880 |
| Wisconsin | $49K | +7% | 13,810 |
| Hawaii | $48K | +6% | 3,890 |
| Colorado | $48K | +6% | 13,160 |
| New Hampshire | $48K | +5% | 3,000 |
| New York | $48K | +5% | 40,710 |
| Maine | $48K | +4% | 4,480 |
| Connecticut | $47K | +4% | 10,250 |
| Nebraska | $47K | +4% | 2,380 |
| Vermont | $47K | +3% | 1,140 |
| New Jersey | $47K | +3% | 20,330 |
| Rhode Island | $47K | +3% | 3,210 |
| Montana | $47K | +2% | 2,460 |
| Maryland | $46K | +2% | 16,390 |
| Illinois | $46K | +1% | 20,260 |
| North Dakota | $46K | +1% | 600 |
| Arizona | $46K | +1% | 21,460 |
| Iowa | $45K | -0% | 5,990 |
| Utah | $45K | -1% | 9,990 |
| Nevada | $45K | -1% | 7,760 |
| North Carolina | $45K | -1% | 23,650 |
| Indiana | $45K | -1% | 19,630 |
| Virginia | $45K | -2% | 16,650 |
| Idaho | $45K | -2% | 5,250 |
| Delaware | $44K | -3% | 2,880 |
| Pennsylvania | $44K | -4% | 23,050 |
| Florida | $44K | -4% | 66,110 |
| Ohio | $43K | -6% | 28,950 |
| South Dakota | $42K | -8% | 1,340 |
| Georgia | $42K | -9% | 28,780 |
| South Carolina | $41K | -10% | 12,110 |
| Wyoming | $41K | -10% | 1,040 |
| Missouri | $40K | -11% | 13,050 |
| Michigan | $40K | -13% | 27,810 |
| Tennessee | $40K | -13% | 19,180 |
| Texas | $40K | -14% | 75,340 |
| Kansas | $40K | -14% | 5,510 |
| Kentucky | $39K | -14% | 13,440 |
| New Mexico | $39K | -14% | 5,400 |
| Oklahoma | $39K | -15% | 10,510 |
| Arkansas | $38K | -17% | 5,150 |
| West Virginia | $37K | -19% | 4,540 |
| Louisiana | $36K | -21% | 12,310 |
| Alabama | $36K | -21% | 13,300 |
| Mississippi | $35K | -23% | 3,340 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track medical assistants salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Waterloo-Cedar Falls numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare Support
Frequently asked questions
Can a medical assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $46K, rent takes 34.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,051/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for medical assistants in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new medical assistants typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,207/month. At HUD’s $1,051/month FMR, rent would take 48% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is medical assistant a high-paying job in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $46K locally vs. $46K nationally, a 0% difference.
How does Waterloo-Cedar Falls compare to the national average for medical assistants?
Waterloo-Cedar Falls pays $46K median vs. the U.S. average of $46K — that’s +0%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.06), the purchasing-power equivalent is $52K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do medical assistants make in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA?
The median is $45,660 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,780, and experienced medical assistants can clear $50,710. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $46K enough to live in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,046/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,051/month, which eats 34.5% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a medical assistants salary go in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Waterloo-Cedar Falls has a Regional Price Parity of 87.06 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median medical assistants salary is worth about $52,447 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do medical assistants get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.