Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants Salary in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
The median pay for a medical secretaries and administrative assistants in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA is $40,450/year ($19.45/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $55K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.7), which stretches that salary to about $44,111 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,318/month — about 47.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $40K get you in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Des Moines-West Des Moines’s Regional Price Parity (91.7). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction.
About medical secretaries and administrative assistants
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Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
Entry-level medical secretaries and administrative assistants (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $40K. Top earners bring in $55K or more, a $20K spread from bottom to top.
Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $57K | +28% | 11,650 |
| California | $53K | +18% | 116,890 |
| Massachusetts | $50K | +12% | 22,110 |
| Oregon | $50K | +11% | 15,530 |
| Minnesota | $49K | +9% | 16,240 |
| Connecticut | $49K | +9% | 5,010 |
| Hawaii | $49K | +9% | 2,490 |
| Alaska | $48K | +8% | 2,260 |
| New York | $48K | +8% | 34,170 |
| Rhode Island | $48K | +6% | 1,900 |
| District of Columbia | $47K | +6% | 1,610 |
| Wisconsin | $47K | +5% | 5,800 |
| Maryland | $47K | +5% | 14,550 |
| New Jersey | $47K | +4% | 17,710 |
| New Hampshire | $47K | +4% | 3,770 |
| Arizona | $47K | +4% | 16,650 |
| Vermont | $46K | +3% | 2,120 |
| Illinois | $45K | +1% | 24,150 |
| Nebraska | $45K | +0% | 4,130 |
| Maine | $45K | +0% | 4,550 |
| South Dakota | $44K | -0% | 110 |
| Virginia | $44K | -1% | 20,860 |
| North Dakota | $44K | -1% | 960 |
| Nevada | $44K | -2% | 7,110 |
| Delaware | $43K | -3% | 5,190 |
| Pennsylvania | $43K | -4% | 26,270 |
| Missouri | $42K | -6% | 11,600 |
| Ohio | $42K | -6% | 29,970 |
| Idaho | $42K | -6% | 2,470 |
| New Mexico | $42K | -6% | 3,770 |
| Wyoming | $42K | -6% | 1,060 |
| Indiana | $42K | -7% | 19,460 |
| Georgia | $41K | -8% | 18,180 |
| Utah | $40K | -9% | 5,150 |
| Michigan | $40K | -10% | 27,440 |
| North Carolina | $40K | -11% | 45,540 |
| Montana | $40K | -11% | 4,050 |
| Texas | $40K | -11% | 72,810 |
| Kansas | $40K | -11% | 6,460 |
| Florida | $39K | -12% | 80,430 |
| Iowa | $39K | -12% | 10,150 |
| South Carolina | $39K | -13% | 10,180 |
| Tennessee | $39K | -13% | 31,780 |
| Kentucky | $38K | -15% | 20,550 |
| Oklahoma | $38K | -15% | 8,150 |
| West Virginia | $38K | -16% | 1,760 |
| Mississippi | $37K | -18% | 3,290 |
| Alabama | $36K | -19% | 14,900 |
| Louisiana | $36K | -20% | 2,730 |
| Arkansas | $36K | -20% | 2,360 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track medical secretaries and administrative assistants salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Des Moines-West Des Moines numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
How much do medical secretaries and administrative assistants make in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?
The median is $40,450 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,560, and experienced medical secretaries and administrative assistants can clear $54,810. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $40K enough to live in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,722/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,318/month, which eats 48.4% 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 secretaries and administrative assistants salary go in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Des Moines-West Des Moines has a Regional Price Parity of 91.7 (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 secretaries and administrative assistants salary is worth about $44,111 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do medical secretaries and administrative 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.