Des Moines Hourly Wage & Salary 2026
Des Moines, IA: $24.91/hr median hourly wage, $51,820 median annual salary, cost of living index 90, and $7.25/hr minimum wage. Calculate take-home pay with federal and Iowa taxes.
Des Moines Hourly Wage Quick Answer
The median hourly wage in Des Moines, IA is $24.91/hr,and the median annual wage is $51,820. Entry-level pay estimates around $15.44/hr, senior-level pay estimates around $35.37/hr, and the local minimum wage is $7.25/hr.
Median figures: BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metropolitan statistical area (404,130 jobs). BLS publishes wages by metro area, not by city, so Des Moines shares this figure with the rest of its metro. Entry and senior levels are Salario estimates.
Median Salary
$51,820
$24.91/hr
Cost of Living
90
US avg = 100
Minimum Wage
$7.25
per hour
Unemployment
2.8%
rate
Des Moines, IA Overview
Population
214,237
Median Salary
$51,820
Average Salary
$65,970
Avg Commute
20 min
Median Home Price
$225,000
Median Rent
$1,050/mo
Job Growth
+1.8%
Sales Tax
7%
Des Moines is located in Iowa with a population of 214,237. The median annual wage across all occupations is $51,820 ($24.91/hour, BLS OEWS May 2025, Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro), which is $840 above the national median of $50,980. The national median is the BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations median annual wage. The average commute time is 20 minutes, and the city has a job growth rate of +1.8%.
Des Moines Salary by Experience Level (2026)
Wage distribution in Des Moines, IA built around the $51,820 median salary (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro). Entry-level represents 10th–25th percentile; mid-level is the median; senior-level represents 75th–90th percentile. The non-median rows are Salario estimates.
| Experience Level | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage | Years Exp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-Level | $32,128 | $15.44/hr | 0–2 years |
| Mid-Level (Median) | $51,820 | $24.91/hr | 3–7 years |
| Senior-Level | $73,584 | $35.37/hr | 8–15 years |
| Top 10% (90th Percentile) | $92,240 | $44.34/hr | 15+ years / leadership |
Percentile multipliers (62%, 100%, 142%, 178%) are Salario approximations of the typical all-occupations wage spread in BLS OEWS metro tables; only the median row is a published BLS value. Specific roles vary; see jobs by city for role-specific data.
Des Moines Paycheck Calculator
Enter your annual salary to see your estimated take-home pay in Des Moines, IA, after federal, state, and local taxes.
Estimated Annual Take-Home Pay
$42,460
$3,538.33/month · $1,633.08/biweekly · Effective Rate: 18.1%
Biweekly paycheck estimate: this salary equals about $1,633.08 take-home per paycheck after estimated Iowa and federal taxes. For the 26-paycheck formula, three-paycheck months, and withholding examples, see the Biweekly Paycheck Calculator.
Gross Pay
$51,820
Federal Tax
-$4,038
State Tax
-$1,357
Local Tax
$0
FICA
-$3,964
Net Pay
$42,460
Pay Breakdown
| Item | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary | $4,318.33 | $51,820.00 |
| Federal Income Tax | -$336.53 | -$4,038.40 |
| Iowa State Tax (2.62% eff.) | -$113.11 | -$1,357.36 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | -$267.74 | -$3,212.84 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | -$62.62 | -$751.39 |
| Net Take-Home Pay | $3,538.33 | $42,460.01 |
Salary Comparison: Des Moines vs Other Cities
See how Des Moines's median salary and cost of living compare to the national average and similar cities.
| City | Median Salary | COL Index | Adj. Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines, IA | $51,820 | 90 | $57,578 |
| National Average | $50,980 | 100 | $50,980 |
| West Des Moines, IA | $51,820 | 97.5 | $53,149 |
| Ankeny, IA | $51,820 | 95.8 | $54,092 |
| Urbandale, IA | $51,820 | 90 | $57,578 |
| Pittsfield, MA | $51,860 | 127.6 | $40,643 |
Adjusted salary reflects purchasing power when cost of living is factored in. A higher adjusted salary means your money goes further.
Cost of Living in Des Moines
Des Moines's cost of living index is 90 (national average = 100). Living in Des Moines is 10% less expensive than the national average.
Median Home Price
$225,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,050
Annual Rent Cost
$12,600
Your Salary's Purchasing Power
Your $42,460 annual take-home pay in Des Moines has the purchasing power of approximately $47,178 in an average-cost US area. Your $51,820 salary stretches further here than in most US cities.
Top Industries in Des Moines
Des Moines's economy is driven by these key industries. Workers in top industries often earn significantly above the median salary of $51,820.
Salary Tips for Des Moines Workers
- Research top industries. Des Moines's top industries include Insurance, Finance, Technology. Targeting roles in these sectors can help you earn above the $51,820 median salary.
- Review your W-4 withholding. If you regularly receive large tax refunds, adjust your W-4 to increase your per-paycheck take-home pay instead of giving the government an interest-free loan.
Other Cities in Iowa
Dubuque
Iowa City
Marion
Sioux City
Urbandale
Waterloo
West Des Moines
Ames
Ankeny
Bettendorf
Cedar Falls
Cedar Rapids
Methodology & Local Economy Data Sources
How we calculate Des Moines salary data: The median annual wage, median hourly wage and mean wage are the official BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations values for the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metropolitan statistical area, retrieved from the BLS Public Data API on September 17, 2026. BLS does not publish city-level wages, so every city inside that metro shows the same figure. The entry/senior/top-10% rows, the paycheck estimate and the purchasing-power conversion are Salario calculations built on that median. Cost-of-living adjustments use the C2ER Cost of Living Index baseline of 100 (national average), with Des Moines indexed at 90.
- Median salary: $51,820 annual, $24.91 hourly, BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA MSA (404,130 jobs surveyed). Mean wage $65,970 (BLS). Salario's previous modeled median for Des Moines was $62,000.
- Tax burden reflects Iowa 2026 state income tax brackets and standard deduction (top rate 3.8%) (no local income tax), sales tax (7%), and federal taxes per IRS 2026 brackets.
- Unemployment rate for Des Moines: 2.8%, sourced from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS).
- Top industries: Insurance, Finance, Technology, based on QCEW employment concentration data.
- Job growth: 1.8% projected through 2034, derived from BLS Employment Projections program for Iowa.
- Housing context: median home price $225,000, median rent $1,050/mo, sourced from Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
Authoritative US data sources for Des Moines, IA:
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), metropolitan area salary data
- BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Des Moines unemployment rate
- U.S. Census Bureau, Des Moines QuickFacts, population, housing, demographics
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), county-level industry employment
- BLS Economy at a Glance, Iowa, state economic indicators
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), local GDP and personal income data
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U), regional inflation tracking
Disclaimer: Salary and cost data are estimates for general guidance. Individual compensation varies by employer, experience, education, negotiation, and skills. Des Moines's rapidly changing economy can shift these baselines, always verify with current job listings, employer offers, and recent Iowa labor market reports for the most current figures.
Reviewed by Harlan Voss · Last updated September 17, 2026 · Wage figures: BLS OEWS May 2025 release (published May 2026) · Census data current as of latest releases
Explore Salaries Across the US
Compare salary data and cost of living for hundreds of US cities. Find out where your paycheck goes the furthest.
Related Salary Tools
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the hourly wage in Des Moines, IA?
The median hourly wage in Des Moines, IA is $24.91 per hour, the BLS OEWS May 2025 median for all occupations in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metropolitan area, and the BLS median annual wage is $51,820. Entry-level workers are estimated around $15.44/hr, while senior-level workers are estimated around $35.37/hr before overtime, bonuses, or benefits (Salario estimates, not BLS percentiles).
What is the median salary in Des Moines, IA?
The median salary in Des Moines, IA is $51,820 per year, or $24.91 per hour (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area). The BLS mean salary is $65,970. This is $840 above the BLS national median of $50,980.
What is the cost of living in Des Moines, IA?
Des Moines's cost of living index is 90 (national average = 100), meaning it is 10% less expensive compared to the national average. The median home price is $225,000 and the median monthly rent is $1,050.
What are the best industries in Des Moines?
The top industries in Des Moines, IA include Insurance, Finance, Technology. The city has a job growth rate of 1.8% and an unemployment rate of 2.8%. Workers in these industries often earn above the city's median salary of $51,820.
How does Des Moines's salary compare to other cities?
Des Moines's median salary of $51,820 is 1.6% above the national median of $50,980. However, when adjusted for cost of living (index: 90), the real purchasing power is approximately $57,578.
What is the minimum wage in Des Moines, IA?
The minimum wage in Des Moines, IA is $7.25 per hour. This equals approximately $15,080 per year for a full-time worker (40 hours/week). This matches the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hour.