SOC 29-1071

Physician Assistant 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 69.1% Realized
$92,508 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $133,830 $64.34/hr
Effective Tax Drag 24.88% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 24% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$33,293 $1,280.49/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 $64.34 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$8,030/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$1,927/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$18,926
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$8,297
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$1,941
Iowa Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$4,129
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$92,508 ($3,557.98 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA Physician Assistant Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $133,830
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $100.0k 25th $115k Median: $133,830 50th (Median) $134k 75th $159k 90th $189k You: $133,830
10th (Entry) $99,990 $48.07/hr
25th (Junior) $114,530 $55.06/hr
50th (Median) $133,830 $64.34/hr
75th (Senior) $158,740 $76.32/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $188,860 $90.80/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Physician Assistant in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
1
Junior Physician AssistantARC-PA accredited Master's degree, NCCPA PANCE certification, state licensing
$103,416$49.72/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Staff Physician Assistant (Surgical/Inpatient)First-assist surgical certification, specialty clinical rotations, DEA registration
$124,109$59.67/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Senior Physician Assistant SpecialistAdvanced clinical autonomy, specialized procedural competence, supervision of PA fellows
$143,797$69.13/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Chief Physician Assistant / Clinical DirectorHospital clinical administration, credentialing oversight, departmental leadership
$165,465$79.55/hr · 8+ Years
Scaled to the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA medianView National Physician Assistant Salary Data
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)
15% 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$133,830-$33,293$92,508$3,557.98
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$158,923-$41,770$107,618$4,139.16
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$184,016-$50,247$122,729$4,720.33
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$209,109-$57,280$139,283$5,357.04
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$234,203-$64,609$155,542$5,982.37
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

Physician Assistant 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
$133,830/yr
$64.34/hr · SOC 29-1071
Statutory Tax Drag
24.88% Effective
-$33,293 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
15% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$6,564/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 29-1071
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

Physician Assistant in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA: Market Snapshot

Physician Assistant roles in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA report a median annual wage of $133,830, 1.5% below the national median of $135,880. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $99,990 to $188,860, and HUD’s $1,145 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 10.3% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $22.98 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Physician Assistant

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$223,640+67.1%
Bakersfield-Delano, CA$198,070+48.0%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$184,380+37.8%
Yuba City, CA$183,460+37.1%
Vallejo, CA$179,520+34.1%
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$172,750+29.1%
Napa, CA$172,170+28.6%
Salinas, CA$170,180+27.2%
Urban Honolulu, HI$170,060+27.1%
Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA$168,080+25.6%

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
Nurse Practitioner$132,230$63.57/hr
Actuary$130,540$62.76/hr

Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025, 348 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.

Physician Assistant Salary in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA (2026) Overview

Physician Assistant median pay in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA is $133,830 a year ($64.34/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD. Official 2026 economic data for Physician Assistant in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.

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

The median annual wage is $133,830 ($64.34 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $99,990 and $188,860. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

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

On the median wage of $133,830, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $98,305 a year ($8,192 a month) after $35,525 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 26.54%, using 2026 tax rules.