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

How much does a human resources specialist make in Des Moines, IA?

In the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metropolitan area, human resources specialists earned a median of $71,600 a year ($34.42 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 2,450 of these jobs there. That is 38% above the $51,820 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $46,940 and $120,470; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Iowa tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $57,132 in take-home pay.

Human resources specialist pay in Des Moines, IA at a glance

Median salary

$71,600$34.42 per hour · $5,967 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$46,940$22.57/hr
25th percentile$56,050$26.95/hr
75th percentile$97,840$47.04/hr
90th percentile$120,470$57.92/hr
Jobs in this metro2,450Location quotient 1.03 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here38% aboveAll-jobs median $51,820
Against Iowa7% aboveStatewide median $66,710
Against the U.S.6% belowNational median $75,940

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.

Take-home payWhat $72,000 a year leaves after tax in IowaFederal tax, FICA and Iowa withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$34 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $72,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $72,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation Iowa publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Iowa.

Human resources specialist salary in Des Moines, IA after taxes

$71,600
$25,000$145,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$71,600
Net 80%
Fed 10%
IA 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$57,132After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,761Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,197Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate20.2%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$6,922 / yr
Iowa state income tax$2,069 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$5,477 / yr
Customize deductions in full Iowa calculator

Human resources specialists 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 human resources specialists earned in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (IA)
10th percentile$22.57/hr$3,912$46,940$38,764
25th percentile$26.95/hr$4,671$56,050$45,738
MedianMedian$34.42/hr$5,967$71,600$57,132
75th percentile$47.04/hr$8,153$97,840$74,594
90th percentile$57.92/hr$10,039$120,470$89,655

Is $71,600 a good salary in Des Moines, IA?

It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for human resources specialists 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 household83.4%of area median income

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

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Human resources specialists pay in other Iowa metros

Metros in the same state that are closest in size to Des Moines, IA. A statewide average can hide differences this large.

Human resources specialist pay in Des Moines, IA: common questions

What is the median salary for human resources specialists in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?

The BLS median annual wage for human resources specialists in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area was $71,600 in May 2025, about $5,967 a month or $34.42 an hour. Statewide, the Iowa median for this job is $66,710, so the metro pays 7% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for human resources specialists in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?

The median hourly wage for human resources specialists in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA was $34.42 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $22.57 an hour and one in ten earned more than $57.92.

How many human resources specialists work in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?

BLS estimated 2,450 jobs for human resources specialists in the metro in May 2025, or 6.1 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.03 means the job is about as common here as in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for human resources specialists in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?

BLS wage estimates for human resources specialists in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA run from $46,940 at the 10th percentile to $56,050 at the 25th, $97,840 at the 75th, and $120,470 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do human resources specialists take home after taxes in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?

On a median gross salary of $71,600, an estimated $57,132 lands in net take-home pay per year ($2,197 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Iowa in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $14,468 (an effective rate of 20.2%).

How much do human resources specialists make per month in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?

On the median annual salary of $71,600, gross monthly income is $5,967. After federal, FICA, and Iowa state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $4,761 per month (or $2,197 every two weeks).

Is $71,600 a good salary in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?

At $71,600, the median salary for human resources specialists is 83.4% of the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA median household income ($85,890). It is 38% 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.