Physical therapist · Des Moines, IA

Physical therapist in Des Moines: $3,339/mo left

BLS OEWS May 2025 puts the median physical therapist wage in Des Moines at $97,790 a year. About 740 physical therapist jobs are in the metro. The job is about the same share of local employment as nationwide (location quotient 1.06). The 10th percentile is $75,510 and the 90th is $120,730. Pay ranks 291st-highest of 384 metros with a published median for this job. Pay is 8.2× a year of one-bedroom rent ($991/mo). Iowa charges a 3.80% flat income tax. At this pay, one adult in a one-bedroom keeps $3,339 a month after tax and rent. The best nearby metro for this job is Springfield, about 245 miles away, at $4,220 left over a month.

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.

Left over each month

$3,339

1 adult, 1 bd

Pay

$97,790

$75,510 to $120,730

Rent (1 bd)

$991

$1,180 (2 bd)

Employment

740

Location quotient 1.06

Pay rank

291st of 384

Metros with a published median

Pay vs rent

8.2×

Annual pay ÷ a year of 1 bd rent

Where the money goes

1 adult, 1 bd, physical therapist pay of $97,790.

Taxes$1,981
Rent$991
Other living costs$1,838
Left over$3,339

Pay and tax, per year

Gross household pay: $97,790
Federal income tax: −$13,128
Social Security and Medicare: −$7,481
State income tax (IA): −$3,161
Take-home pay: $74,020
Effective tax rate: 24.3%

Living costs, per month

Rent, 1br: $991
Groceries: $360
Getting around: $533
Healthcare: $405
Utilities and internet: $225
Everything else: $315
Total spending: $2,829

Left over each month

$8,149 gross, minus $1,981 in tax and $2,829 in living costs.

$3,339

Rank every metro for a physical therapist

Same job. Local pay. After tax and rent. Best nearby: Springfield, $4,220/mo.

Physical therapist leftover by city →Best cities for physical therapists to move to →

Physical therapist nearby

Questions

What does a physical therapist make in Des Moines?

$97,790 a year. That figure is the BLS OEWS May 2025 median for the metro. About 740 physical therapist jobs are in the metro.

What is left after tax and rent for a physical therapist in Des Moines?

$3,339 a month for one adult in a one-bedroom. Iowa charges a 3.80% flat income tax Rent is $991, and pay covers 8.2× a year of it.

Where nearby would a physical therapist keep more?

Springfield, about 245 miles away, leaves $4,220 a month, more than Des Moines.