Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a construction laborer make in Des Moines, IA?

In the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metropolitan area, construction laborers earned a median of $49,980 a year ($24.03 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 3,510 of these jobs there. That is 4% below the $51,820 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $40,080 and $72,370; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Iowa tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $41,091 in take-home pay.

Construction laborer pay in Des Moines, IA at a glance

Median salary

$49,980$24.03 per hour · $4,165 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$40,080$19.27/hr
25th percentile$47,160$22.67/hr
75th percentile$60,130$28.91/hr
90th percentile$72,370$34.79/hr
Jobs in this metro3,510Location quotient 1.23 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here4% belowAll-jobs median $51,820
Against Iowa3% aboveStatewide median $48,490
Against the U.S.6% aboveNational median $47,120

Run the numbers on your own pay

Same U.S. tax tables as the rest of the site. Change the salary, state, or filing status.

Construction laborer salary in Des Moines, IA after taxes

$49,980
$15,000$100,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$49,980
Net 82%
Fed 8%
IA 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$41,091After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,424Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,580Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate17.8%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,818 / yr
Iowa state income tax$1,247 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,823 / yr

Construction laborers pay range in Des Moines, IA, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What construction laborers earned in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (IA)
10th percentile$19.27/hr$3,340$40,080$33,513
25th percentile$22.67/hr$3,930$47,160$38,933
MedianMedian$24.03/hr$4,165$49,980$41,091
75th percentile$28.91/hr$5,011$60,130$48,861
90th percentile$34.79/hr$6,031$72,370$57,644

Is $49,980 a good salary in Des Moines, IA?

It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for construction laborers next to both.

Median household income$85,890Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)91.78.3% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household58.2%of area median income

The same job statewide and nationally, and a calculator for your own paycheck.

Construction laborer pay in Des Moines, IA: common questions

What is the median salary for construction laborers in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?

The BLS median annual wage for construction laborers in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area was $49,980 in May 2025, about $4,165 a month or $24.03 an hour. Statewide, the Iowa median for this job is $48,490, so the metro pays 3% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for construction laborers in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?

The median hourly wage for construction laborers in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA was $24.03 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $19.27 an hour and one in ten earned more than $34.79.

How many construction laborers work in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?

BLS estimated 3,510 jobs for construction laborers in the metro in May 2025, or 8.7 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.23 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for construction laborers in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?

BLS wage estimates for construction laborers in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA run from $40,080 at the 10th percentile to $47,160 at the 25th, $60,130 at the 75th, and $72,370 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do construction laborers take home after taxes in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?

On a median gross salary of $49,980, an estimated $41,091 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,580 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Iowa in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $8,889 (an effective rate of 17.8%).

How much do construction laborers make per month in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?

On the median annual salary of $49,980, gross monthly income is $4,165. After federal, FICA, and Iowa state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,424 per month (or $1,580 every two weeks).

Is $49,980 a good salary in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?

At $49,980, the median salary for construction laborers is 58.2% of the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA median household income ($85,890). It is 4% below the $51,820 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 91.7, so prices here run 8.3% below the U.S. average.