Dental Salary Data · BLS OEWS May 2025

Dental Office Manager Salary in Iowa

The median dental office manager earns $101,940 a year in Iowa ($49.01 an hour), with the middle half earning between $84,180 and $129,430.[1]

Updated October 2026 with BLS May 2025 wage data, the latest release.

25th percentile

$84,180

Lower end of the middle half

Median

$101,940

Half earn more, half earn less

75th percentile

$129,430

Upper end of the middle half

That's roughly $101,940 per year or $49.01/hr at the median. Iowa runs about 18% lower than the national median.

The full pay range in Iowa

BLS publishes five points on the pay curve. The 10th percentile is a reasonable read on entry pay, and the 90th shows what the best-paid dental office managers in Iowa earn. The U.S. figures are shown alongside for comparison.[1][2]

Dental Office Manager wages, Iowa vs. U.S. (BLS OEWS, May 2025)
PercentileIowa hourlyIowa annualU.S. hourlyU.S. annual
10th percentile$36.10$75,080$35.29$73,390
25th percentile$40.47$84,180$45.53$94,700
Median$49.01$101,940$59.55$123,860
75th percentile$62.22$129,430$79.85$166,100
90th percentile$82.58$171,760$107.86$224,340
Mean (average)$55.78$116,020$67.77$140,970

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Wages are gross pay for employees and exclude the self-employed. Annual figures assume full-time, year-round work (hourly rate × 2,080 hours) where BLS reports hourly pay.

How many dental office managers work in Iowa

Employed

6,200

About 1.0% of all U.S. dental office managers (calculation)

Per 1,000 jobs

3.98

Share of all jobs in the state

Location quotient

1.04

1.00 = U.S. average; Iowa is close to the national average

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.[2] A location quotient above 1 means the role makes up a bigger share of jobs here than nationally.

How Iowa compares to the U.S.

  • Median pay: $101,940 in Iowa vs. $123,860 nationally, $21,920 (18%) lower.
  • Entry pay (10th percentile): $75,080 vs. $73,390, 2% higher.
  • Top pay (90th percentile): $171,760 vs. $224,340, 23% lower.
  • Projected job growth (2024–2034): 29.3% in Iowa vs. 23.2% nationally.

DSO Hire calculation: (state figure minus U.S. figure) divided by the U.S. figure, from BLS OEWS May 2025[1] and Projections Central[3]. Not adjusted for cost of living.

Dental Office Manager pay by metro area in Iowa

All 9 Iowa metro areas with published BLS data, highest median first.[2]

Dental Office Manager pay by Iowa metro area (BLS OEWS, May 2025)
Metro areaMedianMiddle halfEmployed
Omaha$107,810$94,460–$139,2701,940
Iowa City$107,570$91,790–$140,090680
Ames$103,730$89,060–$129,710280
Waterloo-Cedar Falls$103,330$81,730–$131,760340
Des Moines-West Des Moines$101,550$85,620–$132,5101,330
Sioux City$100,580$83,070–$129,570240
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island$99,490$82,290–$129,630550
Cedar Rapids$99,440$80,020–$126,930480
Dubuque$99,240$80,710–$127,720200

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Gross wages, not adjusted for cost of living. Metro areas cross state lines where noted in the name.

Job outlook for dental office managers in Iowa

Iowa's official long-term projections expect employment of dental office managers to grow 29.3% over 2024–2034, from 7,040 to 9,110 jobs, with about 770 openings a year.[3] The national projection for the same period is 23.2%.

Openings include replacements for people who retire or change careers, which is why they can far exceed net growth. For what this means for hiring, see The dental hiring shortage, by the numbers.

What drives dental office manager pay in Iowa

Pay for a dental office manager depends on experience, setting, and metro. The metro table above shows how much location alone moves the median. Group practices and dental support organizations (DSOs) compete for talent across many locations, and benefits, schedules and bonuses can matter as much as base pay.

Hiring an outside agency is one way practices fill gaps, and it is expensive. See what agencies charge in What dental staffing agencies actually charge.

For dental pros

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Browse open dental office manager roles in Iowa, or build a free, ATS-ready resume and get matched to practices that fit how you want to work.

Dental Office Manager salary in Iowa: FAQ

How much do dental office managers make in Iowa?

The median annual wage for dental office managers in Iowa was $101,940 ($49.01 an hour) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $84,180 and $129,430. The lowest-paid 10% earned under $75,080 and the top 10% earned over $171,760.

Do dental office managers in Iowa earn more than the national median?

No. The Iowa median of $101,940 is lower than the U.S. median of $123,860. That is $21,920 (18%) lower. This is a DSO Hire calculation from BLS figures and does not adjust for cost of living.

Which Iowa metro area pays dental office managers the most?

Among the 9 Iowa metro areas with published BLS data, Omaha has the highest median at $107,810 a year. Dubuque has the lowest, at $99,240.

How many dental office managers work in Iowa?

BLS estimates 6,200 dental office managers were employed in Iowa in May 2025. That is 3.98 per 1,000 jobs in the state. The location quotient is 1.04, meaning the role is close to the national average.

Is demand for dental office managers growing in Iowa?

Iowa's official long-term projections expect employment of dental office managers to grow 29.3% over 2024–2034, from 7,040 to 9,110 jobs. That works out to about 770 openings a year, including replacements for people who leave the field. The national projection for the same period is 23.2%.

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