Physician Assistant Jobs in Iowa

Physician assistant jobs in Iowa draw consistent demand across primary care, orthopedics, and urgent care, with openings at every career stage from new graduate to experienced clinician. The busiest hiring markets are Des Moines, Iowa City, and Cedar Rapids, where health systems like UnityPoint Health, University of Iowa Health Care, and MercyOne anchor the largest concentrations of openings. Dermatology, cardiology, and rural family medicine round out the most in-demand specialties statewide. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.

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Overview

Open roles22
Top employerMercyOne
Top cityDes Moines, IA
Cities hiring14
Work type100% On-site
Top industryHealthcare

Showing 5 of 22+ Physician Assistant jobs

Primary Health Care, Inc.
Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant
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Primary Health Care, Inc.
Added 2d ago
Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant
Primary Health Care, Inc.
Clive, Iowa
Corporate Training
Corporate Training & Learning Development
Teaching & Instruction
$92k - $139k/yr
BLS Certification
201-500

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The University of Iowa
Physician Assistant, Ortho Access, Sports Med and North Liberty Campus
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The University of Iowa
Added 2d ago
Physician Assistant, Ortho Access, Sports Med and North Liberty Campus
The University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa
Caregiving & Elderly Support
Healthcare Administration
Patient Services & Wellbeing
Master's degree
10,000+

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Primary Health Care, Inc.
Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant - HIV Clinic
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Primary Health Care, Inc.
Added 5d ago
Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant - HIV Clinic
Primary Health Care, Inc.
Des Moines, Iowa
Healthcare Administration
Patient Services & Wellbeing
Social Work & Counseling
$92k - $139k/yr
BLS Certification
201-500

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Mercy Cedar Rapids
Inpatient Psychiatry Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant
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Mercy Cedar Rapids
Added 5d ago
Inpatient Psychiatry Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant
Mercy Cedar Rapids
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Customer Service
Customer Support
Hospitality & Guest Services
1,001-5,000

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Concentra
Physician Assistant OR Nurse Practitioner Onsite
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Concentra
Added 5d ago
Physician Assistant OR Nurse Practitioner Onsite
Concentra
Davenport, Iowa
Customer Service
Customer Support
Hospitality & Guest Services
$160k - $164k/yr
On-Site
10,000+

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See All 22 Physician Assistant Jobs in Iowa

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Physician Assistant Jobs by City in Iowa

Where Iowa roles are concentrated, by current openings.

Des Moines
4 jobs
Clive
2 jobs
Dubuque
2 jobs
Iowa City
2 jobs
Cedar Rapids
2 jobs
Council Bluffs
2 jobs
Ankeny
1 job
Cresco
1 job
Clinton
1 job

Physician Assistant Job Market in Iowa

A snapshot from current Iowa openings, updated as new roles post.

Who's Hiring

MercyOne
MercyOne3 open roles
US Department of Veterans Affairs
US Department of Veterans Affairs3 open roles
The Iowa Clinic
The Iowa Clinic2 open roles

Top Industries Hiring

  • Healthcare & Medical Services
  • Education

What Iowa Employers Look For

The qualifications that appear most often in physician assistant jobs across Iowa.

  • Active Iowa physician assistant license issued by the Iowa Physician Assistant Board
  • Master's degree from an ARC-PA accredited physician assistant program
  • Current NCCPA certification or eligibility to sit for the PANCE exam
  • Current BLS certification, with ACLS preferred for acute care or hospital settings
  • Experience with electronic health records systems, particularly Epic or Cerner
  • Ability to work collaboratively under a supervising physician in Iowa clinical settings

Physician Assistant Jobs in Iowa: Frequently Asked Questions

How do you become a physician assistant in Iowa?

To practice as a physician assistant in Iowa, you must hold an active license issued by the Iowa Physician Assistant Board, which requires graduation from an ARC-PA accredited master's-level program and passing the PANCE national certification exam. After passing, you apply directly to the Iowa Physician Assistant Board for licensure. Iowa requires a collaborative practice agreement with a supervising physician before you can begin seeing patients.

How much do physician assistants make in Iowa?

Physician assistants in Iowa earn a median of about $134,770 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $102,330 for the lowest 10% to over $182,940 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.

Which companies hire physician assistants in Iowa?

Employers hiring physician assistants in Iowa right now include MercyOne, US Department of Veterans Affairs, and The Iowa Clinic, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. Iowa's largest health systems, including community hospitals and multispecialty clinics, post openings year-round and tend to hire across both urban centers and rural critical access hospitals.

Which Iowa cities have the most physician assistant jobs?

The cities with the most physician assistant openings in Iowa are Des Moines, Clive, and Dubuque. Des Moines drives the largest share of postings as the state's most populous metro and home to major systems like UnityPoint Health and MercyOne, while Iowa City's concentration reflects the University of Iowa Health Care complex, and Cedar Rapids supports a steady mix of hospital and outpatient clinic demand.

Are there remote physician assistant jobs in Iowa?

Yes, but they're rare. About 0% of physician assistant openings tied to Iowa are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, reflecting the hands-on, patient-facing nature of most PA roles. The exceptions tend to be telephonic triage, utilization review, or insurance prior authorization positions that don't require direct clinical contact.

How can I get hired as a physician assistant in Iowa with little or no experience?

The most realistic entry path is applying directly to new-graduate postings at large Iowa health systems, several of which run structured PA onboarding or transition-to-practice programs. UnityPoint Health and University of Iowa Health Care periodically post openings that explicitly welcome new graduates. Candidates who already hold an Iowa license and NCCPA certification have a clear advantage, and those with clinical rotation experience at Iowa facilities are frequently prioritized for entry-level openings.

Where can I find and apply to physician assistant jobs in Iowa?

You can find and apply to physician assistant jobs in Iowa on Migrate Mate, which lists current Iowa openings updated regularly. Search the listings, find the roles that fit your specialty and location, and apply directly to the ones that match.

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