SOC 51-4041

CNC Machinist 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 76.3% Realized
$45,223 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $59,290 $28.50/hr
Effective Tax Drag 17.73% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$10,510 $404.22/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 $28.50 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,557/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$427/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$4,508
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,676
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$860
Iowa Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$1,466
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$45,223 ($1,739.34 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA CNC Machinist Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $59,290
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $38.3k 25th $48.4k Median: $59,290 50th (Median) $59.3k 75th $63.7k 90th $74.4k You: $59,290
10th (Entry) $38,270 $18.40/hr
25th (Junior) $48,350 $23.25/hr
50th (Median) $59,290 $28.50/hr
75th (Senior) $63,670 $30.61/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $74,380 $35.76/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for CNC Machinist in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
1
CNC Operator TraineeMachine loading, part deburring, basic micrometer inspection
$36,331$17.47/hr · 0-2 Years
2
CNC MachinistG-code/M-code setups, CNC milling/turning, tooling offset adjustments
$54,496$26.20/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Senior CNC ProgrammerMastercam, multi-axis (5-axis) programming, CAD/CAM surface modeling
$72,662$34.93/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Machine Shop SupervisorProduction scheduling, quality auditing, machine fleet maintenance
$92,846$44.64/hr · 8+ Years
Scaled to the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA medianView National CNC Machinist Salary Data
Adjacent Career Pivots & National Pay Differences
Tool and Die Makers+$5,300/yr
National median: $64,050
Skill overlap: 94%
Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators-$8,060/yr
National median: $50,690
Skill overlap: 93%
Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic-$5,950/yr
National median: $52,800
Skill overlap: 93%
Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic-$8,130/yr
National median: $50,620
Skill overlap: 86%
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)
30% 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$59,290-$10,510$45,223$1,739.34
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$70,407-$13,011$53,171$2,045.05
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$81,524-$16,526$60,106$2,311.79
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$92,641-$20,072$67,010$2,577.30
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$103,758-$23,619$73,913$2,842.81
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

CNC Machinist 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
$59,290/yr
$28.50/hr · SOC 51-4041
Statutory Tax Drag
17.73% Effective
-$10,510 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
30% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,624/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 51-4041
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

CNC Machinist in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA: Market Snapshot

CNC Machinist roles in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA report a median annual wage of $59,290, 0.9% above the national median of $58,750. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $38,270 to $74,380, and HUD’s $1,145 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 23.2% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $22.98 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for CNC Machinist

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Urban Honolulu, HI$84,410+42.4%
Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL$82,690+39.5%
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$80,620+36.0%
Barnstable Town, MA$77,650+31.0%
Lake Charles, LA$75,580+27.5%
Anchorage, AK$75,040+26.6%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$74,560+25.8%
Bismarck, ND$74,090+25.0%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$72,060+21.5%
Flagstaff, AZ$71,620+20.8%

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, 361 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.

CNC Machinist Salary in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA (2026) Overview

CNC Machinist median pay in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA is $59,290 a year ($28.50/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents.

Quick answers
What is the median salary for a CNC Machinist in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?

The median annual wage is $59,290 ($28.50 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $38,270 and $74,380. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a CNC Machinist in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA after taxes?

On the median wage of $59,290, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $48,218 a year ($4,018 a month) after $11,072 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 18.67%, using 2026 tax rules.