Payroll Specialist salary in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
Payroll specialists earn more in Des Moines-West Des Moines than anywhere else in Iowa. Expect a median of $58,600 a year1, 8.4% above the Iowa statewide median of $54,080 and about level with the US median of $58,260. Nationally it ranks #127 of 486 areas. It is the largest market for the job in Iowa: about 300 people, 24% of the Iowa total.
BLS occupation 43-3051, 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 | $41,970 | $58,600 | $78,970 | |
| Iowa | $39,410 | $54,080 | $70,990 | |
| United States | $39,500 | $58,260 | $81,350 |
Payroll specialists at the 90th percentile earn $78,970, 1.9 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.1. The middle half of payroll specialists in Des Moines-West Des Moines earns $51,280–$65,610. The mean ($63,410) is 8% over the median, so a group of high earners pulls the average up; price a typical hire from the median. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $14,330 wide, against $15,350 across Iowa and $21,610 nationally: employers in Des Moines-West Des Moines pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for a payroll specialist here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $41,970 | $3,498 | $20.18 | $54,155 |
| 25th percentile | $51,280 | $4,273 | $24.65 | $66,168 |
| Median | $58,600 | $4,883 | $28.17 | $75,613 |
| 75th percentile | $65,610 | $5,468 | $31.54 | $84,658 |
| 90th percentile | $78,970 | $6,581 | $37.97 | $101,897 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $7,010 a year in pay and about $9,045 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $7,320 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 $58,260 falls between the 25th percentile and the median in Des Moines-West Des Moines, and the Iowa statewide median of $54,080 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Des Moines-West Des Moines
At the $58,600 median, a local hire costs about $75,613 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $17,013 here. 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 payroll specialists 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 #9 by median pay, between paralegals ($60,080) and HR assistants ($50,800). Project Coordinator is the highest at $101,150.
| Role | Median | vs payroll specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Executive Assistant | +10.9% | 1,740 | |
| Paralegal | +2.5% | 1,190 | |
| Payroll Specialist | this role | 300 | |
| HR Assistant | -13.3% | 310 | |
| Bookkeeper | -13.6% | 3,670 |
Measured against the US median, payroll specialists rank #4 of the 17 roles we track in Des Moines-West Des Moines (+0.6%), between data entry specialists (+3.0%) and HR assistants (+0.4%). The typical role here is at -1.1%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Payroll specialists hold 0.7% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Des Moines-West Des Moines, 0.9% across Iowa and 1.0% nationally. The job is a smaller 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 $44,260 in Dubuque to $58,600 in Des Moines-West Des Moines, a gap of $14,340 a year. No other area in Iowa has as many payroll specialists, and all 10 others pay less.
| Area | Median | vs Des Moines-West Des Moines | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | this area | 300 | |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | -2.2% | 40 | |
| Ames, IA | -2.9% | 30 | |
| Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | -2.9% | 160 | |
| Iowa City, IA | -3.7% | 40 | |
| Sioux City, IA-NE | -4.5% | 50 | |
| Southeast Iowa (Nonmetro) | -8.9% | 160 |
Des Moines-West Des Moines against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Des Moines-West Des Moines is #77 of 482 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, Hagerstown-Martinsburg and Amherst Town-Northampton pay just above Des Moines-West Des Moines and Las Vegas-Henderson and Janesville-Beloit just below. All four are within $120 a year of the median in Des Moines-West Des Moines. Of the three markets with about as many payroll specialists, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Des Moines-West Des Moines | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | +17.5% | 300 | jobs | |
| Bridgeport-Stamford, CT | +9.2% | 310 | jobs | |
| Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | +0.2% | 60 | pay | |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | +0.2% | n/a | pay | |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | this area | 300 | ||
| Las Vegas-Henderson, NV | -0.1% | 940 | pay | |
| Janesville-Beloit, WI | -0.2% | 70 | pay | |
| Albuquerque, NM | -7.2% | 300 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a payroll specialist in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?
About $75,613 a year at the median, or $6,301 a month: $58,600 in pay plus about $17,013 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for payroll specialists in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
The median was $58,600 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $41,970, the 90th $78,970, and the middle half earned $51,280 to $65,610.
Is Des Moines-West Des Moines the most expensive area in Iowa for payroll specialists?
Yes. Its median of $58,600 is the highest of 11 areas in Iowa. Waterloo-Cedar Falls comes next at $57,300.
How many payroll specialists work in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
BLS counts about 300 in the May 2025 survey. That is 24% of the Iowa total of 1,230. No other area in Iowa has as many.
Does a payroll specialist cost more than an HR assistant in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Yes: $7,800 a year more at the median. The medians are $58,600 and $50,800.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-3051: 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.