SOC 11-2032

Public Relations Managers Salary in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA

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 69.6% Realized
$88,048 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $126,520 $60.83/hr
Effective Tax Drag 24.41% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 22% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$30,881 $1,187.72/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 $60.83 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$7,591/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$1,670/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$17,334
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$7,844
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$1,835
Iowa Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$3,867
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$88,048 ($3,386.47 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA Public Relations Managers Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $126,520
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $77.5k 25th $103k Median: $126,520 50th (Median) $127k 75th $172k 90th $195k You: $126,520
10th (Entry) $77,460 $37.24/hr
25th (Junior) $103,010 $49.52/hr
50th (Median) $126,520 $60.83/hr
75th (Senior) $171,710 $82.55/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $195,420 $93.95/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Public Relations Managers in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
1
PR CoordinatorBachelor's degree (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$70,964$34.12/hr · 0-2 Years
2
PR SpecialistDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities
$91,805$44.14/hr · 2-5 Years
3
PR ManagerFull professional competence; leads projects or a small team
$126,511$60.82/hr · 5-9 Years
4
Senior PR ManagerOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$176,117$84.67/hr · 9-14 Years
5
Director / VP of CommunicationsExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$245,444$118.00/hr · 14+ Years
Scaled to the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA medianView National Public Relations Managers Salary Data
Adjacent Career Pivots & National Pay Differences
Public Relations Specialists-$72,160/yr
National median: $74,750
Skill overlap: 97%
Management Analysts-$45,050/yr
National median: $101,860
Skill overlap: 92%View Salary
Advertising and Promotions Managers-$13,250/yr
National median: $133,660
Skill overlap: 91%View Salary
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists-$68,150/yr
National median: $78,760
Skill overlap: 87%
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)
16% 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$126,520-$30,881$88,048$3,386.47
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$150,243-$38,837$102,391$3,938.11
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$173,965-$46,851$116,676$4,487.54
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$197,688-$54,047$131,779$5,068.42
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$221,410-$60,783$147,342$5,667.01
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

Public Relations Managers 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
$126,520/yr
$60.83/hr · SOC 11-2032
Statutory Tax Drag
24.41% Effective
-$30,881 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
16% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$6,192/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 11-2032
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

Public Relations Managers in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA: Market Snapshot

Public Relations Managers roles in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA report a median annual wage of $126,520, 13.9% below the national median of $146,910. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $77,460 to $195,420, and HUD’s $1,145 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 10.9% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $22.98 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Public Relations Managers

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$213,510+68.8%
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV$195,190+54.3%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$192,720+52.3%
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$192,360+52.0%
Trenton-Princeton, NJ$179,330+41.7%
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR$177,370+40.2%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$176,390+39.4%
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT$174,990+38.3%
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO$174,260+37.7%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$166,590+31.7%

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, 181 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.

Public Relations Managers Salary in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA Overview

Public Relations Managers median pay in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA is $126,520 a year ($60.83/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage. Official 2026 economic data for Public Relations Managers 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 Public Relations Managers in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?

The median annual wage is $126,520 ($60.83 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $77,460 and $195,420. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Public Relations Managers in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA after taxes?

On the median wage of $126,520, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $93,586 a year ($7,799 a month) after $32,934 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 26.03%, using 2026 tax rules.