The Bureau of Labor Statistics found that 6,670 medical and health service managers were employed in Iowa in 2018, with a median annual wage of $77,120. Those in the top ten percent of the profession do considerably better, with a salary of $126,090.
All those numbers are trending upward in an industry that Iowa Workforce Development found to be tied for the second largest employment sector in the state. The agency believes that the demographic realities of an aging population and increasing demand from newly insured patients taking advantage of the Affordable Healthcare Act will push expansion in the sector, particularly in ambulatory healthcare and nursing and residential facilities.
Salaries are being driven higher by what the Health Cost Institute estimates has been a 20.4 percent increase in per person spending in the state on healthcare since 2013, considerably above the national average.
Employment Levels and Job Growth for Iowa’s Healthcare Administrators
Iowa already has the highest concentration of medical and health services manager jobs in the country according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and that concentration is only likely to increase according to Iowa Workforce Development. The agency projects a 19.4 percent growth in the profession by 2026, with 520 openings a year resulting statewide. Those opening come from a combination of newly created positions and turnover in existing roles.
The Salaries of Healthcare Administrators Throughout Iowa
Although there is good news for healthcare administrators all over the state for salary numbers, Iowa City hits the sweet spot: it not only has the highest median wage in the state, it’s also the number one urban area in the country for job concentration for medical and health service managers.
Des Moines-West Des Moines
- 25th percentile: $68,400
- Median: $82,970
- 75th percentile: $106,790
- 90th percentile: $151,030
Iowa City
- 25th percentile: $75,790
- Median: $93,810
- 75th percentile: $117,490
- 90th percentile: $140,070
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island
- 25th percentile: $64,520
- Median: $81,320
- 75th percentile: $99,640
- 90th percentile: $124,890
Cedar Rapids
- 25th percentile: $61,910
- Median: $73,610
- 75th percentile: $91,840
- 90th percentile: $118,970
Employment in Iowa’s rural areas can compete on many levels with the state’s metropolitan areas both in terms of numbers of positions and salaries:
Salary and employment data compiled by the United States Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics in May of 2018. Figures represent accumulated data for all areas of employment for medical and health services managers https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_ia.htm#11-9111.
BLS salary data represents state and MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area) average and median earnings for the occupations listed and includes workers at all levels of education and experience. This data does not represent starting salaries. Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Job growth projections sourced from Iowa Workforce Development and published in the U.S. Department of Labor-funded Long Term Occupational Projections (2016-2026) database – https://projectionscentral.com/Projections/LongTerm.
All salary and job growth data accessed in June 2019.
