Surgical Assistants Salary
The median pay for a surgical assistants in Iowa is $66,030/year ($31.75/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $49K at the entry level to $102K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $74,308 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,064/month, or 24.5% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Iowa. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $66K get you in Iowa?
About surgical assistants
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Iowa
Surgical assistants pay in Iowa tracks closely to the national median, $66K locally vs. $67K nationwide, a 1% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,064/month, 24.8% 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 surgical assistants (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $66K. Top earners bring in $102K or more, a $53K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track surgical 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 surgical assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
Yes — at the median salary of $66K, rent takes 24.8% 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 surgical assistants in Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new surgical assistants typically earn — is $49K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,960/month. At HUD’s $1,064/month FMR, rent would take 36% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is surgical assistant a high-paying job in Iowa?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $66K locally vs. $67K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Iowa compare to the national average for surgical assistants?
Iowa pays $66K median vs. the U.S. average of $67K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $74K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do surgical assistants make in Iowa?
The median is $66,030 a year, that works out to about $32 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,330, and experienced surgical assistants can clear $102,420. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $66K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,292/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 24.8% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a surgical 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 surgical assistants salary is worth about $74,308 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do surgical 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.