Physician Assistants Salary
The median pay for a physician assistants in Iowa is $134,770/year ($64.79/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $102K at the entry level to $183K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $151,666 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,064/month, or 13% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Iowa. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $135K get you in Iowa?
About physician assistants
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Iowa
Physician assistants pay in Iowa tracks closely to the national median, $135K locally vs. $136K nationwide, a 1% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,064/month, 13.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.86 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Iowa
Entry-level physician assistants (10th percentile) start around $102K. Mid-career wages sit at $135K. Top earners bring in $183K or more, a $81K spread from bottom to top.
Physician Assistants salary by metro in Iowa
7 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $137K | +2% | 110 |
| Iowa City | $135K | +0% | 230 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $134K | -1% | 340 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls | $133K | -1% | 60 |
| Sioux City | $131K | -3% | 70 |
| Cedar Rapids | $130K | -4% | 80 |
| Dubuque | $126K | -6% | 40 |
Compare to other states
Track physician assistants salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Iowa numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a physician assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
Yes — at the median salary of $135K, rent takes 13.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,064/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for physician assistants in Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physician assistants typically earn — is $102K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $6,140/month. At HUD’s $1,064/month FMR, rent would take 17% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is physician assistant a high-paying job in Iowa?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $135K locally vs. $136K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Iowa compare to the national average for physician assistants?
Iowa pays $135K median vs. the U.S. average of $136K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $152K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do physician assistants make in Iowa?
The median is $134,770 a year, that works out to about $65 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $102,330, and experienced physician assistants can clear $182,940. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $135K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,968/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 13.4% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a physician assistants salary go in Iowa?
Iowa has a Regional Price Parity of 88.86 (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 physician assistants salary is worth about $151,666 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do physician 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.