Library Assistants, Clerical Salary
Library Assistants, Clericals in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA make a median of $30,750 a year, or about $14.79 an hour. The range runs from $23K at the entry level to $43K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.7), which stretches that salary to about $33,533 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,318/month, about 62.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $31K 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 library assistants, clericals
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What this looks like in Des Moines-West Des Moines
Pay for library assistants, clerical in Des Moines-West Des Moines runs about 17% below the U.S. median of $37K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,318/month, which is 62.3% 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 library assistants, clericals.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for library assistants, clericals in metros near Des Moines-West Des Moines, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $33K | $37K |
| Iowa City | $34K | $37K |
| Ames | $30K | $34K |
| Cedar Rapids | $28K | $32K |
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 library assistants, clericals (10th percentile) start around $23K. Mid-career wages sit at $31K. Top earners bring in $43K or more, a $20K spread from bottom to top.
Library Assistants, Clerical pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Library Assistants, Clerical salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $59K | +61% | 100 |
| California | $48K | +30% | 11,170 |
| Washington | $48K | +29% | 2,810 |
| Nevada | $47K | +26% | 660 |
| Maryland | $46K | +24% | 730 |
| Alaska | $45K | +21% | 180 |
| Massachusetts | $43K | +15% | 2,840 |
| Oregon | $42K | +15% | 1,090 |
| Minnesota | $40K | +8% | 1,770 |
| New Jersey | $40K | +8% | 3,120 |
| Wisconsin | $40K | +7% | 1,570 |
| Connecticut | $39K | +6% | 1,810 |
| Montana | $39K | +6% | 160 |
| Arizona | $38K | +3% | 1,560 |
| Wyoming | $38K | +3% | N/A |
| Virginia | $38K | +3% | 2,170 |
| Maine | $38K | +3% | 540 |
| Florida | $38K | +3% | 3,630 |
| Tennessee | $37K | +1% | 1,110 |
| New Hampshire | $37K | +1% | 990 |
| Hawaii | $37K | +1% | 370 |
| Delaware | $37K | +0% | 270 |
| Rhode Island | $37K | -1% | 510 |
| Vermont | $36K | -1% | 350 |
| Georgia | $36K | -1% | 610 |
| Colorado | $36K | -2% | 470 |
| New York | $36K | -2% | 8,010 |
| New Mexico | $35K | -4% | 150 |
| Illinois | $35K | -6% | 6,620 |
| North Carolina | $35K | -6% | 1,330 |
| North Dakota | $35K | -6% | 60 |
| Michigan | $35K | -7% | 3,470 |
| South Carolina | $34K | -8% | 960 |
| Idaho | $34K | -8% | 920 |
| Missouri | $34K | -9% | 1,610 |
| Kentucky | $34K | -9% | 1,050 |
| Ohio | $33K | -9% | 5,240 |
| Utah | $33K | -11% | 820 |
| Kansas | $32K | -15% | 1,380 |
| Texas | $31K | -15% | 1,600 |
| Arkansas | $31K | -16% | 390 |
| West Virginia | $31K | -17% | 450 |
| Pennsylvania | $31K | -17% | 3,930 |
| Oklahoma | $30K | -20% | 800 |
| Louisiana | $30K | -20% | 720 |
| Iowa | $29K | -20% | 1,700 |
| Indiana | $29K | -22% | 1,830 |
| Mississippi | $28K | -24% | 440 |
| Nebraska | $28K | -24% | 310 |
| Alabama | $28K | -25% | 900 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track library assistants, clerical salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a library assistants, clerical afford a 2BR apartment alone in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $31K, rent takes 62.3% 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 $600/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for library assistants, clericals in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new library assistants, clericals typically earn — is $23K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,378/month. At HUD’s $1,318/month FMR, rent would take 96% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is library assistants, clerical a high-paying job in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Local pay runs 17% below the national median — $31K here vs. $37K 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 library assistants, clericals?
Des Moines-West Des Moines pays $31K median vs. the U.S. average of $37K — that’s -17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.7), the purchasing-power equivalent is $34K — below the national median.
How much do library assistants, clericals make in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?
The median is $30,750 a year, that works out to about $15 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $22,970, and experienced library assistants, clericals can clear $43,460. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $31K enough to live in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,116/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,318/month, which eats 62.3% 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 library assistants, clerical 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 library assistants, clerical salary is worth about $33,533 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do library assistants, clericals 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.