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

How much does a light truck driver make in Des Moines, IA?

In the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metropolitan area, light truck drivers earned a median of $43,200 a year ($20.77 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 3,470 of these jobs there. That is 17% below the $51,820 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $31,080 and $60,630; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Iowa tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $35,901 in take-home pay.

Light truck driver pay in Des Moines, IA at a glance

Median salary

$43,200$20.77 per hour · $3,600 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$31,080$14.94/hr
25th percentile$39,120$18.81/hr
75th percentile$44,460$21.37/hr
90th percentile$60,630$29.15/hr
Jobs in this metro3,470Location quotient 1.36 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here17% belowAll-jobs median $51,820
Against Iowa1% aboveStatewide median $42,750
Against the U.S.4% belowNational median $44,860

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.

Light truck driver salary in Des Moines, IA after taxes

$43,200
$15,000$90,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$43,200
Net 83%
Fed 7%
IA 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$35,901After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,992Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,381Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate16.9%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,004 / yr
Iowa state income tax$990 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,305 / yr

Light truck drivers 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 light truck drivers earned in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (IA)
10th percentile$14.94/hr$2,590$31,080$26,624
25th percentile$18.81/hr$3,260$39,120$32,778
MedianMedian$20.77/hr$3,600$43,200$35,901
75th percentile$21.37/hr$3,705$44,460$36,866
90th percentile$29.15/hr$5,053$60,630$49,244

Is $43,200 a good salary in Des Moines, IA?

It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for light truck drivers 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 household50.3%of area median income

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

Light truck driver pay in Des Moines, IA: common questions

What is the median salary for light truck drivers in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?

The BLS median annual wage for light truck drivers in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area was $43,200 in May 2025, about $3,600 a month or $20.77 an hour. Statewide, the Iowa median for this job is $42,750, so the metro pays 1% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for light truck drivers in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?

The median hourly wage for light truck drivers in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA was $20.77 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $14.94 an hour and one in ten earned more than $29.15.

How many light truck drivers work in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?

BLS estimated 3,470 jobs for light truck drivers in the metro in May 2025, or 8.6 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.36 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for light truck drivers in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?

BLS wage estimates for light truck drivers in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA run from $31,080 at the 10th percentile to $39,120 at the 25th, $44,460 at the 75th, and $60,630 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do light truck drivers take home after taxes in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?

On a median gross salary of $43,200, an estimated $35,901 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,381 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Iowa in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $7,299 (an effective rate of 16.9%).

How much do light truck drivers make per month in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?

On the median annual salary of $43,200, gross monthly income is $3,600. After federal, FICA, and Iowa state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,992 per month (or $1,381 every two weeks).

Is $43,200 a good salary in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?

At $43,200, the median salary for light truck drivers is 50.3% of the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA median household income ($85,890). It is 17% 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.