Elementary school teacher pay in Des Moines, IA at a glance
Median salary
$61,650$5,138 monthly · BLS May 2025Run the numbers on your own pay
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Elementary school teacher salary in Des Moines, IA after taxes
Elementary school teachers 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.
| Percentile | Hourly | Monthly | Yearly | After tax a year (IA) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | — | $3,841 | $46,090 | $38,114 |
| 25th percentile | — | $4,136 | $49,630 | $40,824 |
| MedianMedian | — | $5,138 | $61,650 | $50,025 |
| 75th percentile | — | $5,333 | $64,000 | $51,824 |
| 90th percentile | — | $6,634 | $79,610 | $62,462 |
Is $61,650 a good salary in Des Moines, IA?
It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for elementary school teachers next to both.
Elementary school teachers pay in Iowa and across the U.S.
The same job statewide and nationally, and a calculator for your own paycheck.
Elementary school teacher pay in Des Moines, IA: common questions
What is the median salary for elementary school teachers in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?
The BLS median annual wage for elementary school teachers in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area was $61,650 in May 2025, about $5,138 a month. Statewide, the Iowa median for this job is $60,580, so the metro pays 2% above the state.
Is there an hourly rate for elementary school teachers in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?
BLS publishes pay for this job as an annual salary only, because the hours worked in a year vary too much to state a meaningful hourly rate.
How many elementary school teachers work in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?
BLS estimated 3,640 jobs for elementary school teachers in the metro in May 2025, or 9.0 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.01 means the job is about as common here as in the country as a whole.
What is the pay range for elementary school teachers in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?
BLS wage estimates for elementary school teachers in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA run from $46,090 at the 10th percentile to $49,630 at the 25th, $64,000 at the 75th, and $79,610 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.
How much do elementary school teachers take home after taxes in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?
On a median gross salary of $61,650, an estimated $50,025 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,924 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Iowa in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $11,625 (an effective rate of 18.9%).
How much do elementary school teachers make per month in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?
On the median annual salary of $61,650, gross monthly income is $5,138. After federal, FICA, and Iowa state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $4,169 per month (or $1,924 every two weeks).
Is $61,650 a good salary in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?
At $61,650, the median salary for elementary school teachers is 71.8% of the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA median household income ($85,890). It is 19% above 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.