SOC 15-2051.00

Data Scientist 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 71.3% Realized
$73,461 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $103,030 $49.53/hr
Effective Tax Drag 22.7% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 22% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$23,387 $899.49/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 $49.53 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$6,182/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$1,360/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$12,477
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$6,388
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$1,494
Iowa Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$3,028
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$73,461 ($2,825.44 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA Data Scientist Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $103,030
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $65.5k 25th $80.4k Median: $103,030 50th (Median) $103k 75th $133k 90th $150k You: $103,030
10th (Entry) $65,480 $31.48/hr
25th (Junior) $80,360 $38.63/hr
50th (Median) $103,030 $49.53/hr
75th (Senior) $133,460 $64.16/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $150,190 $72.21/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Data Scientist in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
1
Junior Data ScientistBachelor's degree (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$57,586$27.69/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Data ScientistDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities
$73,440$35.31/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Senior Data ScientistFull professional competence; leads projects or a small team
$103,004$49.52/hr · 5-9 Years
4
Staff / Lead Data ScientistOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$136,168$65.47/hr · 9-14 Years
5
Principal Data ScientistExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$170,617$82.03/hr · 14+ Years
Scaled to the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA medianView National Data Scientist Salary Data
Adjacent Career Pivots & National Pay Differences
Financial Specialists, All Other-$39,130/yr
National median: $81,100
Skill overlap: 95%
Statisticians-$14,580/yr
National median: $105,650
Skill overlap: 94%
Operations Research Analysts-$31,290/yr
National median: $88,940
Skill overlap: 91%View Salary
Statistical Assistants-$69,900/yr
National median: $50,330
Skill overlap: 88%
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)
19% 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$103,030-$23,387$73,461$2,825.44
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$122,348-$29,550$85,458$3,286.83
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$141,666-$35,940$97,226$3,739.48
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$160,984-$42,466$108,859$4,186.90
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$180,303-$48,992$120,492$4,634.32
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

Data Scientist 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
$103,030/yr
$49.53/hr · SOC 15-2051.00
Statutory Tax Drag
22.7% Effective
-$23,387 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
19% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$4,977/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 15-2051.00
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

Data Scientist in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA: Market Snapshot

Data Scientist roles in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA report a median annual wage of $103,030, 14.3% below the national median of $120,230. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $65,480 to $150,190, and HUD’s $1,145 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 13.3% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $22.98 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Data Scientist

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$185,080+79.6%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$170,110+65.1%
Idaho Falls, ID$167,840+62.9%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$164,740+59.9%
Kennewick-Richland, WA$156,830+52.2%
Charlottesville, VA$149,800+45.4%
North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL$146,980+42.7%
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT$141,760+37.6%
Corvallis, OR$140,190+36.1%
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$135,980+32.0%

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, 282 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.

Data Scientist Salary in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA (2026) Overview

Data Scientist median pay in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA is $103,030 a year ($49.53/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents.

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

The median annual wage is $103,030 ($49.53 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $65,480 and $150,190. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

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

On the median wage of $103,030, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $78,048 a year ($6,504 a month) after $24,982 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 24.25%, using 2026 tax rules.