Pay by state / Iowa
IA · BLS OEWS May 2025
Dental pay in Iowa
Iowa's 2,440 dental hygienists earned a mean of $86,640 in May 2025, 12% below the US mean and number 40 of 50 states. Salaried general dentists averaged $198,470 (+4% against the US); orthodontists' pay is not published for Iowa. Dental assistants earned $50,450.
- 1Dental hygienists $86,640
- 2General dentists $198,470
- 3Orthodontists not published
- 4Dental assistants $50,450
| Occupation | Employed | Per 1,000 jobs | IA mean | US mean | vs US |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orthodontists | – | – | – | $259,400 | – |
| General dentists | 1,240 | 0.796 | $198,470 | $191,350 | +4% |
| Dental hygienists | 2,440 | 1.565 | $86,640 | $98,990 | -12% |
| Dental assistants | 3,210 | 2.058 | $50,450 | $50,200 | 0% |
How Iowa ranks
- Orthodontists: no row at all in the BLS May 2025 state file for Iowa.
- General dentists: number 17 of 47 published states for mean pay ($198,470, median $181,520), with 0.796 per 1,000 jobs.
- Dental hygienists: number 40 of 50 published states for mean pay ($86,640, median $84,010), with 1.565 per 1,000 jobs.
- Dental assistants: number 19 of 50 published states for mean pay ($50,450, median $48,430), with 2.058 per 1,000 jobs.
Iowa and the West North Central division
Among the 6 West North Central jurisdictions with published figures, Iowa ranks 6 for dental hygienists' pay; half of its hygienists earn more than $84,010 and half less. The Census Bureau groups these states as a division, which makes a fairer comparison than the national figure when living costs differ by region. Not in the May 2025 BLS state file: KS.
| West North Central | Hygienists | Dentists | Assistants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa | $86,640 | $198,470 | $50,450 |
| Minnesota | $103,830 | $211,780 | $64,740 |
| Missouri | $88,430 | $241,580 | $46,790 |
| Nebraska | $88,990 | $186,420 | $46,430 |
| North Dakota | $89,750 | $222,340 | $56,450 |
| South Dakota | $89,180 | $164,030 | $50,170 |
Staffing in Iowa
There are 2 salaried hygienists for every salaried general dentist in Iowa, more than the national ratio of about 1.8 — hygienists carry more of the routine work here. A practice here employing one hygienist and one assistant at the state's mean wages pays $137,090 a year in their salaries alone, before benefits. Owners of practices are not counted in these BLS figures, so dentist and orthodontist numbers understate how many work in Iowa.
What it means for your braces
BLS publishes no orthodontist wage for Iowa. Wages are one input to what practices charge, alongside rent, equipment and competition, so they explain only part of why quotes differ. Your quote is what matters: put it, your insurance's orthodontic benefit and your FSA or HSA plans into the calculator.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (state and national files). “–” = not published by BLS. Checked 2026-10-24. Methodology.