HR Assistant salary in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
Des Moines-West Des Moines pays HR assistants close to the national norm. The median is $50,800 a year1, 4.8% above the Iowa statewide median of $48,490 and about level with the US median of $50,610. Among US areas it comes in at #106 of 384. It is the largest market for the job in Iowa: about 310 people, 34% of the Iowa total.
BLS occupation 43-4161, area Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Des Moines-West Des Moines against Iowa and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $38,290 | $50,800 | $65,360 | |
| Iowa | $35,770 | $48,490 | $63,280 | |
| United States | $37,340 | $50,610 | $68,280 |
The middle half of HR assistants in Des Moines-West Des Moines earns $41,220–$58,990. The top tenth earns $65,360 or more, 1.7 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 1.8 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $17,770 wide, wider than in Iowa as a whole ($17,720) and the US ($15,770), so what a HR assistant earns in Des Moines-West Des Moines depends more on the employer.
What to budget for an HR assistant here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $38,290 | $3,191 | $18.41 | $49,406 |
| 25th percentile | $41,220 | $3,435 | $19.82 | $53,187 |
| Median | $50,800 | $4,233 | $24.42 | $65,548 |
| 75th percentile | $58,990 | $4,916 | $28.36 | $76,116 |
| 90th percentile | $65,360 | $5,447 | $31.42 | $84,335 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $8,190 a year in pay and about $10,568 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $9,580 in pay. These percentiles describe what people in the job earn locally, not experience levels, so place your offer by the tasks and seniority you need.
For scale, the US median of $50,610 falls between the 25th percentile and the median in Des Moines-West Des Moines, and the Iowa statewide median of $48,490 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Des Moines-West Des Moines
Pay is only part of it. Benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, which adds about $14,748 to the $50,800 median and brings it to $65,548 a year. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.
We place executive assistants, customer support and e-commerce staff today; for HR assistants we answer within one business day whether we can help. Enter the monthly pay you have in mind to compare it with a local hire. The fee field shows our standard fee3; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool4.
Other roles in Des Moines-West Des Moines
Of the 17 roles we track in Des Moines-West Des Moines, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between payroll specialists ($58,600) and bookkeepers ($50,610). Project Coordinator is the highest at $101,150.
| Role | Median | vs HR assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | +18.3% | 1,190 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +15.4% | 300 | |
| HR Assistant | this role | 310 | |
| Bookkeeper | -0.4% | 3,670 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -3.8% | 12,070 |
Measured against the US median, HR assistants rank #5 of the 17 roles we track in Des Moines-West Des Moines (+0.4%), between payroll specialists (+0.6%) and administrative assistants (-0.1%). The typical role here is at -1.1%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. HR assistants hold 0.7% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Des Moines-West Des Moines, 0.7% across Iowa and 0.6% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Iowa
Across the 11 areas of Iowa with data for this job, the median runs from $42,680 in Dubuque to $55,650 in Iowa City, a gap of $12,970 a year. No other area in Iowa has as many HR assistants, and 8 of the other 10 pay less.
| Area | Median | vs Des Moines-West Des Moines | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa City, IA | +9.5% | 40 | |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | +1.7% | 40 | |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | this area | 310 | |
| Southeast Iowa (Nonmetro) | -0.6% | 100 | |
| Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | -0.9% | 150 | |
| Northeast Iowa (Nonmetro) | -6.5% | 60 | |
| Northwest Iowa (Nonmetro) | -8.0% | 50 |
Des Moines-West Des Moines against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Des Moines-West Des Moines is #52 of 382 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job, with pay near the middle of the US range. Outside Iowa, Cincinnati and Madison pay just above Des Moines-West Des Moines and Fort Collins-Loveland and Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie just below. All four are within $90 a year of the median in Des Moines-West Des Moines. Of the three markets with about as many HR assistants, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Des Moines-West Des Moines | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hartford-West Hartford, CT | +2.1% | 320 | jobs | |
| Madison, WI | +0.0% | 280 | pay | |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY | +0.0% | 610 | pay | |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | this area | 310 | ||
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | +0.0% | 100 | pay | |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie, NY | -0.2% | 250 | pay | |
| Fresno, CA | -1.2% | 310 | jobs | |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | -12.4% | 290 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an HR assistant in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?
About $65,548 a year at the median, or $5,462 a month: $50,800 in pay plus about $14,748 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do HR assistants earn in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
The median was $50,800 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $38,290, the 90th $65,360, and the middle half earned $41,220 to $58,990.
Is Des Moines-West Des Moines cheaper than the rest of Iowa for HR assistants?
No, it costs more: a median of $50,800 against $48,490 statewide. The next area up in Iowa is Waterloo-Cedar Falls at $51,660, the next down the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area at $50,510.
How many HR assistants work in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
BLS counts about 310 in the May 2025 survey. That is 34% of the Iowa total of 920. No other area in Iowa has as many.
Does an HR assistant cost more than a bookkeeper in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Yes: $190 a year more at the median. The medians are $50,800 and $50,610.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-4161: bls.gov
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
- Stafka pricing: stafka.com
- Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.