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

How much does a project management specialist make in Des Moines, IA?

In the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metropolitan area, project management specialists earned a median of $101,150 a year ($48.63 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 2,640 of these jobs there. That is 95% above the $51,820 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $65,760 and $150,290; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Iowa tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $76,797 in take-home pay.

Project management specialist pay in Des Moines, IA at a glance

Median salary

$101,150$48.63 per hour · $8,429 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$65,760$31.62/hr
25th percentile$80,100$38.51/hr
75th percentile$146,820$70.59/hr
90th percentile$150,290$72.26/hr
Jobs in this metro2,640Location quotient 0.95 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here95% aboveAll-jobs median $51,820
Against Iowa5% aboveStatewide median $96,540
Against the U.S.1% belowNational median $102,320

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.

Project management specialist salary in Des Moines, IA after taxes

$101,150
$40,000$205,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$101,150
Net 76%
Fed 13%
IA 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$76,797After all taxes
Monthly deposit$6,400Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,954Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate24.1%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$13,423 / yr
Iowa state income tax$3,192 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$7,738 / yr

Project management 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 project management specialists earned in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (IA)
10th percentile$31.62/hr$5,480$65,760$53,171
25th percentile$38.51/hr$6,675$80,100$62,788
MedianMedian$48.63/hr$8,429$101,150$76,797
75th percentile$70.59/hr$12,235$146,820$106,690
90th percentile$72.26/hr$12,524$150,290$108,930

Is $101,150 a good salary in Des Moines, IA?

It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for project management 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 household117.8%of area median income

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

Project management specialist pay in Des Moines, IA: common questions

What is the median salary for project management specialists in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?

The BLS median annual wage for project management specialists in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area was $101,150 in May 2025, about $8,429 a month or $48.63 an hour. Statewide, the Iowa median for this job is $96,540, so the metro pays 5% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for project management specialists in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?

The median hourly wage for project management specialists in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA was $48.63 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $31.62 an hour and one in ten earned more than $72.26.

How many project management specialists work in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?

BLS estimated 2,640 jobs for project management specialists in the metro in May 2025, or 6.5 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.95 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for project management specialists in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?

BLS wage estimates for project management specialists in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA run from $65,760 at the 10th percentile to $80,100 at the 25th, $146,820 at the 75th, and $150,290 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

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

On a median gross salary of $101,150, an estimated $76,797 lands in net take-home pay per year ($2,954 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Iowa in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $24,353 (an effective rate of 24.1%).

How much do project management specialists make per month in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?

On the median annual salary of $101,150, gross monthly income is $8,429. After federal, FICA, and Iowa state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $6,400 per month (or $2,954 every two weeks).

Is $101,150 a good salary in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?

At $101,150, the median salary for project management specialists is 117.8% of the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA median household income ($85,890). It is 95% 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.