Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks Salary in Des Moines, IA
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area earn a median $50,610 a year — 0% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $41,574 take-home, or $3,464 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks salary in Des Moines, IA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$3,893
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,138
- Medicare (1.45%)$734
- Iowa income tax$1,271
- Take-home pay$41,574
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 3.80% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks pay by experience in Des Moines, IA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $36,410 | $17.50 | $30,704 | $2,559 |
| 25th percentile | $45,160 | $21.71 | $37,402 | $3,117 |
| Median (50th) | $50,610 | $24.33 | $41,574 | $3,464 |
| 75th percentile | $59,470 | $28.59 | $48,356 | $4,030 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $68,500 | $32.93 | $55,069 | $4,589 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Iowa resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $50,610 buys in Des Moines, IA
Prices in Des Moines, IA are 8.3% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 15% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks's $41,574 take-home pay has the buying power of $45,336 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks jobs are about as common in Des Moines, IA as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.03).
Best-paying cities for bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks, adjusted for cost of living
Des Moines, IA ranks #7 of 95 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Haven, CT | $62,890 | $50,807 | $48,592 |
| 2 | San Jose, CA | $66,130 | $52,378 | $47,434 |
| 3 | Hartford, CT | $59,470 | $48,213 | $46,924 |
| 4 | Austin, TX | $54,320 | $45,826 | $46,730 |
| 5 | Bridgeport, CT | $61,390 | $49,669 | $46,479 |
| 6 | Seattle, WA | $60,460 | $50,760 | $45,675 |
| 7 | Des Moines, IA | $50,610 | $41,574 | $45,336 |
| 8 | Kansas City, MO | $50,940 | $41,653 | $45,010 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 95 metros →
About the job: bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks
Compute, classify, and record numerical data to keep financial records complete. Perform any combination of routine calculating, posting, and verifying duties to obtain primary financial data for use in maintaining accounting records. May also check the accuracy of figures, calculations, and postings pertaining to business transactions recorded by other workers.
- Typical education
- Some college, no degree
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- -5.6% (declining)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks make in Des Moines, IA?
The median bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks salary in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area is $50,610 a year, or about $24.33 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $45,160 and $59,470.
What is a bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks’s take-home pay in Des Moines, IA?
On the median $50,610 salary, a single filer living in Iowa takes home about $41,574 a year ($3,464 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,271 in Iowa taxes in 2026.
Is Des Moines, IA a good place to work as a bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks?
Pay here is 0% below the national median of $50,670. Local prices are 8.3% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $45,336 would in a typical U.S. city. Des Moines, IA ranks #7 of 95 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks afford rent in Des Moines, IA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Des Moines, IA is $1,092 a month ($1,302 for two bedrooms) — 32% of a median bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.