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Nursing Assistants in Iowa
Thinking about a career as a Nursing Assistants in Iowa? Here’s what the data says. Provide or assist with basic care or support under the direction of onsite licensed nursing staff. Perform duties such as monitoring of health status, feeding, bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, or ambulation of patients in a health or nursing facility. May include medication administration and other health-related tasks. Includes nursing care attendants, nursing aides, and nursing attendants. Excludes “Home Health Aides” (31-1121), “Personal Care Aides” (31-1122), “Orderlies” (31-1132), and “Psychiatric Aides” (31-1133).
What do Nursing Assistants Make in Iowa?
For nursing assistants working in Iowa, the typical annual salary is $38,630 per year (or about $18.57/hour).Pay can range from $35,070 at the 10th percentile to $48,100 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $35,070 | $16.86 |
| 25th percentile | $36,740 | $17.66 |
| Median (50th) | $38,630 | $18.57 |
| 75th percentile | $44,710 | $21.49 |
| 90th percentile | $48,100 | $23.13 |
Location quotient — how concentrated this career is in Iowa compared to the national average — is 1.63, indicating that nursing assistants are more concentrated here than the national average.
National Wage Comparison
Nationally, nursing assistants earn a median of $27,058 per year ($13.01/hour), exceeding the Iowa median.
Employment Outlook
Nationally, total employment in this occupation is 90,706 nursing assistants across the United States. In Iowa alone, approximately 22,970 people work in this role. That’s higher than the typical state, which employs around 20,880 nursing assistants.
Top Iowa Metros for Nursing Assistants
The largest metro-area employers of nursing assistants in Iowa.
| Metro Area | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | 4,870 | $39,790 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | 2,030 | $37,870 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | 1,670 | $39,260 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | 1,400 | $38,090 |
| Iowa City, IA | 1,200 | $37,900 |
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | 1,020 | $38,320 |
| Dubuque, IA | 890 | $40,460 |
| Ames, IA | 760 | $39,110 |
Top States for Nursing Assistants Employment
The table below shows the states where the most nursing assistants work.
| State | Number Employed |
|---|---|
| California | 102,380 |
| Florida | 91,280 |
| Texas | 87,050 |
| New York | 85,310 |
| Pennsylvania | 65,410 |
| Illinois | 64,660 |
| Ohio | 62,360 |
| North Carolina | 61,280 |
| Virginia | 42,760 |
| Georgia | 42,460 |
| Michigan | 40,230 |
| Massachusetts | 38,280 |
| Missouri | 32,650 |
| New Jersey | 31,310 |
| Indiana | 31,240 |
| Washington | 28,080 |
| Wisconsin | 27,480 |
| Minnesota | 26,970 |
| Alabama | 24,560 |
| Maryland | 24,230 |
Highest-Paying States for Nursing Assistants
Where nursing assistants earn the most: nursing assistants.
| State | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Oregon | $48,390 |
| Washington | $48,260 |
| New York | $47,390 |
| District of Columbia | $46,860 |
| California | $46,420 |
| New Hampshire | $46,050 |
| Alaska | $45,840 |
| Maine | $45,640 |
| Minnesota | $45,580 |
| Massachusetts | $45,410 |
Skills
The most important nursing assistants skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Important knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Abilities
The abilities that matter most for nursing assistants, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Daily Tasks
Common tasks include:
- Turn or reposition bedridden patients.
- Answer patient call signals, signal lights, bells, or intercom systems to determine patients' needs.
- Feed patients or assist patients to eat or drink.
- Measure and record food and liquid intake or urinary and fecal output, reporting changes to medical or nursing staff.
- Provide physical support to assist patients to perform daily living activities, such as getting out of bed, bathing, dressing, using the toilet, standing, walking, or exercising.
- Document or otherwise report observations of patient behavior, complaints, or physical symptoms to nurses.
- Remind patients to take medications or nutritional supplements.
- Review patients' dietary restrictions, food allergies, and preferences to ensure patient receives appropriate diet.
- Undress, wash, and dress patients who are unable to do so for themselves.
- Observe or examine patients to detect symptoms that may require medical attention, such as bruises, open wounds, or blood in urine.
- Lift or assist others to lift patients to move them on or off beds, examination tables, surgical tables, or stretchers.
- Supply, collect, or empty bedpans.
Work Activities
- Assisting and Caring for Others
- Getting Information
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Documenting/Recording Information
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
- Performing General Physical Activities
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Developing and Building Teams
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
Tools & Technology
Common tools and software used in this occupation include: Hot technologies: Apache Spark
What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?
Related college programs include:
Related Careers
Related occupations to nursing assistants include:
- Registered Nurses
- Acute Care Nurses
- Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses
- Critical Care Nurses
- Clinical Nurse Specialists
- Nurse Anesthetists
Also Known As
Birth Attendant, Certified Medication Aide (CMA), Certified Nurse Aide (CNA), Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA), Certified Nurses Aide (CNA), Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), Certified Nursing Attendant (CNA), Certified Residential Medication Aide (CRMA), Clinical Assistant, Competency Evaluated Nurse Aide (CENA), First Aid Attendant, Geriatric Nursing Assistant (GNA), Gericare Aide, Health Aide, Health Care Aide.
References
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
- BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- O*NET-SOC code: 31-1131.00