SOC 13-2011

Accountant & Auditor Salary in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA (2026)

Data updated · Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025, HUD FY 2027 Fair Market Rents, EPI 2026 Family Budget, 2026 tax tables · Methodology

Tax Tables: 2026 Fed + IA
COL Index: 103.9 (+3.9% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 74.1% Realized
$58,719 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $79,290 $38.12/hr
Effective Tax Drag 19.94% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 22% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$15,813 $608.20/check
Category 1 of 6

Wage Benchmarking & After-Tax Paycheck Engine

Dynamic statutory tax calculations based on IRS Publication 15-T and state statutory schedules.

$
2,080 annual statutory base hours $38.12 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$4,757/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$1,047/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$7,567
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$4,916
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$1,150
Iowa Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$2,180
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$58,719 ($2,258.43 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA Accountant & Auditor Wage Distribution

Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Percentiles & Career Ladders

Your Salary: $79,290
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $56.4k 25th $64.5k Median: $79,290 50th (Median) $79.3k 75th $102k 90th $128k You: $79,290
10th (Entry) $56,390 $27.11/hr
25th (Junior) $64,450 $30.99/hr
50th (Median) $79,290 $38.12/hr
75th (Senior) $102,330 $49.20/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $128,130 $61.60/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Accountant & Auditor in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
1
Staff AccountantBachelor's degree (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$53,062$25.51/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Senior AccountantDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities; CPA license
$63,485$30.52/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Accounting ManagerFull professional competence; leads projects or a small team; CPA license
$79,309$38.13/hr · 5-9 Years
4
Corporate ControllerOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$104,040$50.02/hr · 9-14 Years
5
Vice President of FinanceExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$136,540$65.64/hr · 14+ Years
Scaled to the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA medianView National Accountant & Auditor Salary Data
Adjacent Career Pivots & National Pay Differences
Financial Managers+$82,890/yr
National median: $166,570
Skill overlap: 94%View Salary
Financial Examiners+$10,480/yr
National median: $94,160
Skill overlap: 93%
Tax Preparers-$28,760/yr
National median: $54,920
Skill overlap: 93%
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks-$33,010/yr
National median: $50,670
Skill overlap: 89%
Category 3 of 6

HUD Fair Market Rent & EPI Living Wage Affordability Index

Evaluating housing affordability vs. net take-home pay in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
23% of Net Income
✓ Passes 30% Housing Affordability Standard
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,145/month Requires minimum annual gross of $45,800
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,360/month Requires minimum annual gross of $54,400
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $22.98/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $20.03/hr
Category 4 of 6

Hourly Wage to Annual & Overtime Matrix

Translating base hourly pay and 1.5× overtime into net take-home pay based on 2,080 annual work hours in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA.

Swipe horizontally to inspect full pay schedule
Schedule Total Hours/Wk Gross Annual Est. Taxes Net Take-Home Bi-Weekly Check
Standard (40 hrs)40 hrs$79,290-$15,813$58,719$2,258.43
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$94,157-$20,556$67,951$2,613.51
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$109,024-$25,299$77,183$2,968.59
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$123,891-$30,042$86,415$3,323.67
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$138,758-$34,957$95,475$3,672.11
Category 5 of 6

Interstate MSA Relocation & State Tax Migration Comparator

Calculate required compensation, cost-of-living differences, and annual state/local tax savings between two metropolitan areas.

Equivalent Salary in Austin, TX $83,505 Cost of Living Ratio: 69.6%
Annual State & Local Tax Delta +$8,331/yr Tax savings in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
Annual Rent Difference (1BR) -$17,676/yr Based on HUD Fair Market Rents
Net Discretionary Cash Flow Impact

Combining state tax savings and annual rent variance when relocating from San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA to Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX.

+$26,007/year
Category 6 of 6 · Executive Economic Briefing
2026 Fiscal Intelligence

Accountant & Auditor in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

Estimates compiled from BLS OEWS wages, IRS 2026 withholding rules, HUD Fair Market Rents, and Iowa tax codes.

Market Baseline
$79,290/yr
$38.12/hr · SOC 13-2011
Statutory Tax Drag
19.94% Effective
-$15,813 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
23% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$3,748/mo
Post-$1,145/mo 1BR Rent

Key Economic & Compensation Takeaways

Statutory Withholding Architecture

Frequently Asked Questions

Verified Government Data Sources & Statutory Attribution

Wages sourced from US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS OEWS). Rents calibrated to HUD Fair Market Rents. Tax schedules calibrated to IRS IRC Title 26, IRS Pub 15-T, and state statutory revenue codes.

BLS OEWS May 2025 HUD FY2027 FMR IRS 15-T
Metro Pay Comparison SOC 13-2011
2026 Statutory Thresholds
  • Federal Standard Deduction (Single) $16,100
  • FICA OASDI Wage Base Cap $184,500
  • Pre-Tax 401(k) Elective Deferral $24,500
  • HSA Individual Annual Limit $4,400

Accountant & Auditor in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA: Market Snapshot

Accountant & Auditor roles in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA report a median annual wage of $79,290, 5.2% below the national median of $83,680. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $56,390 to $128,130, and HUD’s $1,145 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 17.3% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $22.98 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Accountant & Auditor

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$121,700+53.5%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$110,730+39.7%
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$105,650+33.2%
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV$102,140+28.8%
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT$102,020+28.7%
Midland, TX$100,890+27.2%
Parkersburg-Vienna, WV$100,420+26.6%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$100,150+26.3%
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO$100,020+26.1%
Boulder, CO$99,990+26.1%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$290,870$139.84/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$164,840$79.25/hr
Financial Manager$154,140$74.11/hr
Compensation and Benefits Managers$150,850$72.52/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$148,330$71.31/hr
Human Resources Managers$138,140$66.41/hr
Sales Managers$136,570$65.66/hr
Marketing Managers$135,140$64.97/hr
Physician Assistant$133,830$64.34/hr
Nurse Practitioner$132,230$63.57/hr

Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025, 393 metropolitan areas publishing this occupation; HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rents; EPI Family Budget Calculator. Taxes use 2026 federal and state rules. Data last updated .

Regional Labor Market & Career Mobility Network

Explore adjacent occupations and neighboring metropolitan wage benchmarks for peer compensation analysis.

Accountant & Auditor Salary in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA (2026) Overview

Accountant & Auditor median pay in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA is $79,290 a year ($38.12/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD.

Quick answers
What is the median salary for an Accountant & Auditor in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?

The median annual wage is $79,290 ($38.12 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $56,390 and $128,130. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for an Accountant & Auditor in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA after taxes?

On the median wage of $79,290, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $62,249 a year ($5,187 a month) after $17,041 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 21.49%, using 2026 tax rules.