Education Teachers, Postsecondary Salary
In Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA, education teachers, postsecondaries earn $48,090 at the median. The range runs from $30K at the entry level to $86K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.7), which stretches that salary to about $52,443 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,318/month, about 40.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $48K get you in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Des Moines-West Des Moines’s Regional Price Parity (91.7). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About education teachers, postsecondaries
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Des Moines-West Des Moines
Pay for education teachers, postsecondary in Des Moines-West Des Moines runs about 36% below the U.S. median of $75K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,318/month, which is 41.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.7 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for education teachers, postsecondarys.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for education teachers, postsecondaries in metros near Des Moines-West Des Moines, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $55K | $61K |
| Cedar Rapids | $49K | $55K |
| Kenosha | $74K | $73K |
| Mankato | $79K | $86K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
Entry-level education teachers, postsecondaries (10th percentile) start around $30K. Mid-career wages sit at $48K. Top earners bring in $86K or more, a $57K spread from bottom to top.
Education Teachers, Postsecondary pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Education Teachers, Postsecondary salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $112K | +48% | 3,100 |
| Louisiana | $84K | +11% | 460 |
| New York | $82K | +9% | 5,430 |
| District of Columbia | $81K | +7% | 230 |
| Connecticut | $81K | +7% | 900 |
| Rhode Island | $80K | +6% | 190 |
| Massachusetts | $80K | +6% | 2,050 |
| Michigan | $80K | +6% | 1,140 |
| Minnesota | $79K | +5% | 950 |
| Nebraska | $79K | +5% | 600 |
| Maryland | $79K | +5% | 870 |
| Arizona | $79K | +4% | 1,590 |
| Vermont | $78K | +4% | 170 |
| New Jersey | $78K | +3% | 2,580 |
| North Dakota | $78K | +3% | 230 |
| Utah | $77K | +2% | 330 |
| Virginia | $77K | +2% | 1,630 |
| Maine | $77K | +2% | 190 |
| Washington | $75K | -0% | 1,270 |
| Pennsylvania | $75K | -1% | 3,390 |
| Wisconsin | $75K | -1% | 1,540 |
| Arkansas | $75K | -1% | 250 |
| Nevada | $74K | -1% | 310 |
| Oregon | $74K | -2% | 1,240 |
| Tennessee | $72K | -4% | 950 |
| Montana | $70K | -7% | 130 |
| North Carolina | $70K | -7% | 2,130 |
| Texas | $68K | -9% | 6,400 |
| Colorado | $67K | -11% | 1,060 |
| South Carolina | $67K | -11% | 1,270 |
| Wyoming | $66K | -12% | 80 |
| Indiana | $66K | -12% | 1,830 |
| Missouri | $66K | -13% | 1,140 |
| Idaho | $66K | -13% | 170 |
| New Mexico | $65K | -14% | 290 |
| Alabama | $64K | -15% | 840 |
| Florida | $64K | -16% | 1,290 |
| South Dakota | $63K | -16% | 190 |
| West Virginia | $63K | -16% | 320 |
| Kansas | $63K | -16% | 590 |
| Georgia | $63K | -17% | 1,750 |
| Ohio | $62K | -17% | 2,120 |
| Iowa | $62K | -18% | 690 |
| Mississippi | $62K | -18% | 430 |
| Illinois | $62K | -18% | 3,930 |
| Kentucky | $61K | -18% | 620 |
| Oklahoma | $61K | -19% | 560 |
| Hawaii | $50K | -34% | 460 |
| New Hampshire | $49K | -35% | 630 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track education teachers, postsecondary salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Des Moines-West Des Moines numbers change.
Related careers in Education
Frequently asked questions
Can a education teachers, postsecondary afford a 2BR apartment alone in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $48K, rent takes 41.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,318/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for education teachers, postsecondaries in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new education teachers, postsecondaries typically earn — is $30K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,776/month. At HUD’s $1,318/month FMR, rent would take 74% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is education teachers, postsecondary a high-paying job in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Local pay runs 36% below the national median — $48K here vs. $75K nationally. Cost of living is 8% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Des Moines-West Des Moines compare to the national average for education teachers, postsecondaries?
Des Moines-West Des Moines pays $48K median vs. the U.S. average of $75K — that’s -36%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.7), the purchasing-power equivalent is $52K — below the national median.
How much do education teachers, postsecondaries make in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?
The median is $48,090 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $29,600, and experienced education teachers, postsecondaries can clear $86,420. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $48K enough to live in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,197/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,318/month, which eats 41.2% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a education teachers, postsecondary salary go in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Des Moines-West Des Moines has a Regional Price Parity of 91.7 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median education teachers, postsecondary salary is worth about $52,443 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do education teachers, postsecondaries get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.