SOC 51-9061

Quality Control Inspector 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 77.1% Realized
$39,189 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $50,850 $24.45/hr
Effective Tax Drag 16.93% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$8,610 $331.17/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 $24.45 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,051/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$366/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$3,556
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,153
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$737
Iowa Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$1,165
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$39,189 ($1,507.25 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA Quality Control Inspector Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $50,850
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $36.0k 25th $41.6k Median: $50,850 50th (Median) $50.9k 75th $59.5k 90th $71.2k You: $50,850
10th (Entry) $35,960 $17.29/hr
25th (Junior) $41,600 $20.00/hr
50th (Median) $50,850 $24.45/hr
75th (Senior) $59,500 $28.61/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $71,240 $34.25/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Quality Control Inspector in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
1
QC Inspector ApprenticeVisual inspection, measurement calipers, rejection log documentation
$33,502$16.11/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Certified Quality InspectorCMM operation, blueprint GD&T interpretation, non-conformance reports
$48,159$23.15/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Senior Quality Assurance TechSix Sigma green belt, statistical process control (SPC), ISO 9001 audits
$64,910$31.21/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Quality Assurance ManagerPlant quality management system, vendor audits, compliance signoff
$85,849$41.27/hr · 8+ Years
Scaled to the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA medianView National Quality Control Inspector Salary Data
Adjacent Career Pivots & National Pay Differences
Engine and Other Machine Assemblers+$5,140/yr
National median: $53,710
Skill overlap: 84%
Industrial Machinery Mechanics+$15,950/yr
National median: $64,520
Skill overlap: 81%View Salary
Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers+$16,810/yr
National median: $65,380
Skill overlap: 81%
Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping-$2,190/yr
National median: $46,380
Skill overlap: 78%
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)
35% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
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$50,850-$8,610$39,189$1,507.25
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$60,384-$10,756$46,005$1,769.44
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$69,919-$12,901$52,822$2,031.63
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$79,453-$15,865$58,821$2,262.33
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$88,988-$18,907$64,741$2,490.05
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

Quality Control Inspector 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
$50,850/yr
$24.45/hr · SOC 51-9061
Statutory Tax Drag
16.93% Effective
-$8,610 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
35% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,121/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 51-9061
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

Quality Control Inspector in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA: Market Snapshot

Quality Control Inspector roles in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA report a median annual wage of $50,850, 4.7% above the national median of $48,570. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $35,960 to $71,240, and HUD’s $1,145 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 27.0% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $22.98 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Quality Control Inspector

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Lexington Park, MD$92,000+80.9%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$76,800+51.0%
Savannah, GA$72,800+43.2%
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$71,950+41.5%
Anchorage, AK$71,470+40.6%
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA$68,060+33.8%
Flagstaff, AZ$65,840+29.5%
Bismarck, ND$63,910+25.7%
Lake Charles, LA$63,570+25.0%
Gulfport-Biloxi, MS$63,520+24.9%

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, 388 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.

Quality Control Inspector Salary in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA Overview

Quality Control Inspector median pay in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA is $50,850 a year ($24.45/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles. Official 2026 economic data for Quality Control Inspector 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 Quality Control Inspector in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?

The median annual wage is $50,850 ($24.45 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $35,960 and $71,240. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Quality Control Inspector in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA after taxes?

On the median wage of $50,850, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $41,757 a year ($3,480 a month) after $9,093 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 17.88%, using 2026 tax rules.