High school teacher · Des Moines, IA

High school teacher in Des Moines: $1,373/mo left

BLS OEWS May 2025 puts the median high school teacher wage in Des Moines at $62,480 a year. About 2,660 high school teacher jobs are in the metro. The job is about the same share of local employment as nationwide (location quotient 0.96). The 10th percentile is $47,870 and the 90th is $82,100. Pay ranks 209th-highest of 369 metros with a published median for this job. Pay is 5.3× 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 $1,373 a month after tax and rent. The best nearby metro for this job is Rockford, about 248 miles away, at $2,106 left over a month.

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.

Left over each month

$1,373

1 adult, 1 bd

Pay

$62,480

$47,870 to $82,100

Rent (1 bd)

$991

$1,180 (2 bd)

Employment

2,660

Location quotient 0.96

Pay rank

209th of 369

Metros with a published median

Pay vs rent

5.3×

Annual pay ÷ a year of 1 bd rent

Where the money goes

1 adult, 1 bd, high school teacher pay of $62,480.

Taxes$1,005
Rent$991
Other living costs$1,838
Left over$1,373

Pay and tax, per year

Gross household pay: $62,480
Federal income tax: −$5,459
Social Security and Medicare: −$4,780
State income tax (IA): −$1,819
Take-home pay: $50,422
Effective tax rate: 19.3%

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

$5,207 gross, minus $1,005 in tax and $2,829 in living costs.

$1,373

Rank every metro for a high school teacher

Same job. Local pay. After tax and rent. Best nearby: Rockford, $2,106/mo.

High school teacher leftover by city →Best cities for high school teachers to move to →

High school teacher nearby

Questions

What does a high school teacher make in Des Moines?

$62,480 a year. That figure is the BLS OEWS May 2025 median for the metro. About 2,660 high school teacher jobs are in the metro.

What is left after tax and rent for a high school teacher in Des Moines?

$1,373 a month for one adult in a one-bedroom. Iowa charges a 3.80% flat income tax Rent is $991, and pay covers 5.3× a year of it.

Where nearby would a high school teacher keep more?

Rockford, about 248 miles away, leaves $2,106 a month, more than Des Moines.