Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive Salary in Des Moines, IA
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area earn a median $47,500 a year — 0% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $39,193 take-home, or $3,266 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive salary in Des Moines, IA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$3,520
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,945
- Medicare (1.45%)$689
- Iowa income tax$1,153
- Take-home pay$39,193
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 3.80% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive pay by experience in Des Moines, IA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $35,490 | $17.06 | $29,999 | $2,500 |
| 25th percentile | $39,990 | $19.23 | $33,444 | $2,787 |
| Median (50th) | $47,500 | $22.84 | $39,193 | $3,266 |
| 75th percentile | $55,810 | $26.83 | $45,554 | $3,796 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $63,510 | $30.53 | $51,449 | $4,287 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Iowa resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $47,500 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 secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive's $39,193 take-home pay has the buying power of $42,740 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive jobs are less concentrated in Des Moines, IA than nationally (location quotient 0.70), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive, adjusted for cost of living
Des Moines, IA ranks #12 of 111 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Haven, CT | $63,800 | $51,497 | $49,252 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $60,230 | $50,575 | $45,508 |
| 3 | San Jose, CA | $62,940 | $50,108 | $45,378 |
| 4 | Hartford, CT | $55,940 | $45,535 | $44,319 |
| 5 | Bridgeport, CT | $57,440 | $46,673 | $43,675 |
| 6 | Boston, MA | $59,330 | $47,105 | $43,509 |
| 7 | Madison, WI | $51,410 | $42,007 | $43,178 |
| 8 | Nashville, TN | $49,000 | $41,552 | $43,131 |
| 12 | Des Moines, IA | $47,500 | $39,193 | $42,740 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 111 metros →
About the job: secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive
Perform routine administrative functions such as drafting correspondence, scheduling appointments, organizing and maintaining paper and electronic files, or providing information to callers.
- Typical education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- -6.0% (declining)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive make in Des Moines, IA?
The median secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive salary in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area is $47,500 a year, or about $22.84 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $39,990 and $55,810.
What is a secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive’s take-home pay in Des Moines, IA?
On the median $47,500 salary, a single filer living in Iowa takes home about $39,193 a year ($3,266 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,153 in Iowa taxes in 2026.
Is Des Moines, IA a good place to work as a secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive?
Pay here is 0% below the national median of $47,540. Local prices are 8.3% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $42,740 would in a typical U.S. city. Des Moines, IA ranks #12 of 111 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive 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) — 33% of a median secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.