Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary pay range in Des Moines
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $79,840 a year or less, while the top 10% make $153,260 or more. The middle half of education administrators, kindergarten through secondary in Des Moines earn between $100,360 and $136,530.
- $80K10th
- $100K25th
- $118KMedian
- $137K75th
- $153K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $118,360 | $9,863 | — |
| Median | $117,980 | $9,832 | — |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $100,360 | $8,363 | — |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $136,530 | $11,378 | — |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year (BLS publishes this job's pay as annual only). Hourly to annual salary.
Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary pay in Des Moines vs. Iowa and the U.S.
Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary in Des Moines earn 5% more than the Iowa average ($112,820) and about the same as the U.S. average ($116,100). At the median the gap is +11% against the U.S. median of $105,870.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines | $118,360 | $117,980 | $79,840 | $153,260 | 850 |
| Iowa | $112,820 | $104,260 | $77,350 | $154,000 | 3,310 |
| United States | $116,100 | $105,870 | $76,280 | $167,770 | 328,330 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary salary after taxes in Des Moines
On the average salary of $118,360, a single filer in Des Moines takes home about $88,210 a year, or $7,351 a month and $3,393 every two weeks. Taxes take 25% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Iowa school district surtaxes (a percentage of state tax in some districts) are not included.
Is Des Moines a good place for education administrators, kindergarten through secondary? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Des Moines area are 8% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 91.7), so the average $118,360 buys what about $129,072 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.3 times the median wage of all jobs in Des Moines ($51,820). A typical home costs $296,070, or 2.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary salary in other Iowa cities
Des Moines ranks 1st of 8 Iowa metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Des Moines$118,360
- Ames$116,010
- Cedar Rapids$115,750
- Iowa City$112,170
- Sioux City$110,500
- Dubuque$110,310
- Waterloo$108,970
- Davenport$108,670
All Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary salaries in Iowa
Highest-paying cities for education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
Bremerton, WA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($169,480).
- Bremerton, WA$169,480
- Seattle, WA$166,970
- Mount Vernon, WA$164,920
- Bridgeport, CT$164,050
- San Jose, CA$162,910
Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary salary by city
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Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary salary in Des Moines: questions
What is the entry-level education administrators, kindergarten through secondary salary in Des Moines?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $79,840 a year and the 25th percentile is $100,360, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the education administrators, kindergarten through secondary take-home pay in Des Moines?
About $88,210 a year ($7,351 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $118,360. Iowa school district surtaxes (a percentage of state tax in some districts) are not included.
Do education administrators, kindergarten through secondary earn more in Des Moines than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as the U.S. average for this job ($116,100).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 11-9032; area Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA (19780). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.7%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Iowa school district surtaxes (a percentage of state tax in some districts) are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.99, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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