High paying entry level jobs in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA

These occupations in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA ask for no prior experience in a related job and no on-the-job training period: you are expected to be productive on arrival. That is precisely why most of them want a specific qualification instead — the credential does the work the experience would have. Read the line under each title for what that qualification is; several here are doctorates. If you need something you can start without one, use the no-experience list.

Cost of living: prices in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA run 8.3% below the national average (2024), so a Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA salary is worth about 1.09× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order.

Local wage estimates are suppressed more often than state ones — BLS withholds any figure too few local employers report — so an occupation missing here simply has no published local estimate.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA

OccupationMedian, Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA · Employed

1Dentists, General$209,300
Doctoral or professional degree
$137,870 – $259,990360
2Pharmacists$141,110
Doctoral or professional degree
$123,510 – $164,900850
3Lawyers$134,560
Doctoral or professional degree
$65,830 – $292,0201,760
4Physician Assistants$133,830
Master's degree
$99,990 – $188,860340
5Soil and Plant Scientists$132,290
Bachelor's degree
$74,250 – $171,530430
6Nurse Practitioners$132,230
Master's degree
$113,470 – $166,960820
7Veterinarians$130,900
Doctoral or professional degree
$80,190 – $171,590210
8Software Developers$126,460
Bachelor's degree
$79,170 – $168,1804,240
9Database Administrators$109,750
Bachelor's degree
$61,420 – $157,350130
10Computer Occupations, All Other$109,490
Bachelor's degree
$50,840 – $163,7701,770
11Financial Risk Specialists$108,110
Bachelor's degree
$81,950 – $168,440350
12Electrical Engineers$107,040
Bachelor's degree
$77,790 – $153,800280
13Data Scientists$103,030
Bachelor's degree
$65,480 – $150,1901,240
14Computer Systems Analysts$102,070
Bachelor's degree
$67,020 – $140,8202,680
15Project Management Specialists$101,150
Bachelor's degree
$65,760 – $150,2902,640
16Engineers, All Other$100,880
Bachelor's degree
$73,810 – $136,410260
17Biological Scientists, All Other$99,420
Bachelor's degree
$66,040 – $119,740130
18Financial and Investment Analysts$98,490
Bachelor's degree
$63,910 – $155,4801,160
19Industrial Engineers$98,270
Bachelor's degree
$74,110 – $134,040520
20Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$98,190
Bachelor's degree
$62,650 – $128,790440
21Physical Therapists$97,790
Doctoral or professional degree
$75,510 – $120,730740
22Civil Engineers$97,330
Bachelor's degree
$65,080 – $140,780830
23Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$95,200
Doctoral or professional degree
$58,740 – $151,960140
24Dental Hygienists$93,660
Associate's degree
$74,630 – $96,060750
25Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$92,310
Bachelor's degree
$63,900 – $139,560390
26Budget Analysts$91,920
Bachelor's degree
$64,280 – $120,030180
27Network and Computer Systems Administrators$89,800
Bachelor's degree
$62,100 – $131,9801,000
28Chemists$87,560
Bachelor's degree
$65,900 – $137,560150
29Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$87,080
Associate's degree
$78,110 – $101,600170
30Business Operations Specialists, All Other$86,540
Bachelor's degree
$55,890 – $138,8505,130
31Mechanical Engineers$85,490
Bachelor's degree
$70,770 – $133,600390
32Operations Research Analysts$83,410
Bachelor's degree
$39,800 – $140,960190
33Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$81,220
Bachelor's degree
$57,040 – $119,340240
34Financial Specialists, All Other$80,340
Bachelor's degree
$49,600 – $125,050680
35Credit Analysts$80,190
Bachelor's degree
$58,240 – $134,280160
36Accountants and Auditors$79,290
Bachelor's degree
$56,390 – $128,1304,850
37Computer Programmers$79,200
Bachelor's degree
$53,990 – $132,180320
38Occupational Therapists$78,770
Master's degree
$64,610 – $108,770340
39Registered Nurses$78,630
Bachelor's degree
$64,680 – $100,5008,130
40Logisticians$77,860
Bachelor's degree
$51,600 – $107,540520
41Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$76,580
Bachelor's degree
$45,920 – $128,1003,440
42Food Scientists and Technologists$76,580
Bachelor's degree
$46,000 – $111,310160
43Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$76,440
Associate's degree
$58,410 – $105,550230
44Massage Therapists$76,090
Postsecondary nondegree award
$45,920 – $77,320150
45Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$75,960
Master's degree
$37,600 – $91,640280
46Health Education Specialists$75,750
Bachelor's degree
$46,960 – $96,000220
47Web and Digital Interface Designers$75,680
Bachelor's degree
$39,730 – $129,570210
48Respiratory Therapists$75,650
Associate's degree
$63,740 – $84,260200
49Mechanical Drafters$75,510
Associate's degree
$48,120 – $99,940160
50Chiropractors$74,810
Doctoral or professional degree
$26,120 – $126,270240

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianDes Moines-West Des Moines, IA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$209,300	$137,870 – $259,990	360
2	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$141,110	$123,510 – $164,900	850
3	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$134,560	$65,830 – $292,020	1,760
4	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$133,830	$99,990 – $188,860	340
5	Soil and Plant ScientistsBachelor's degree	$132,290	$74,250 – $171,530	430
6	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$132,230	$113,470 – $166,960	820
7	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$130,900	$80,190 – $171,590	210
8	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$126,460	$79,170 – $168,180	4,240
9	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$109,750	$61,420 – $157,350	130
10	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$109,490	$50,840 – $163,770	1,770
11	Financial Risk SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$108,110	$81,950 – $168,440	350
12	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$107,040	$77,790 – $153,800	280
13	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$103,030	$65,480 – $150,190	1,240
14	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$102,070	$67,020 – $140,820	2,680
15	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$101,150	$65,760 – $150,290	2,640
16	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$100,880	$73,810 – $136,410	260
17	Biological Scientists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$99,420	$66,040 – $119,740	130
18	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$98,490	$63,910 – $155,480	1,160
19	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$98,270	$74,110 – $134,040	520
20	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$98,190	$62,650 – $128,790	440
21	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$97,790	$75,510 – $120,730	740
22	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$97,330	$65,080 – $140,780	830
23	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$95,200	$58,740 – $151,960	140
24	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$93,660	$74,630 – $96,060	750
25	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$92,310	$63,900 – $139,560	390
26	Budget AnalystsBachelor's degree	$91,920	$64,280 – $120,030	180
27	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$89,800	$62,100 – $131,980	1,000
28	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$87,560	$65,900 – $137,560	150
29	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$87,080	$78,110 – $101,600	170
30	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$86,540	$55,890 – $138,850	5,130
31	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$85,490	$70,770 – $133,600	390
32	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$83,410	$39,800 – $140,960	190
33	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$81,220	$57,040 – $119,340	240
34	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$80,340	$49,600 – $125,050	680
35	Credit AnalystsBachelor's degree	$80,190	$58,240 – $134,280	160
36	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$79,290	$56,390 – $128,130	4,850
37	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$79,200	$53,990 – $132,180	320
38	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$78,770	$64,610 – $108,770	340
39	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$78,630	$64,680 – $100,500	8,130
40	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$77,860	$51,600 – $107,540	520
41	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$76,580	$45,920 – $128,100	3,440
42	Food Scientists and TechnologistsBachelor's degree	$76,580	$46,000 – $111,310	160
43	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$76,440	$58,410 – $105,550	230
44	Massage TherapistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$76,090	$45,920 – $77,320	150
45	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$75,960	$37,600 – $91,640	280
46	Health Education SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$75,750	$46,960 – $96,000	220
47	Web and Digital Interface DesignersBachelor's degree	$75,680	$39,730 – $129,570	210
48	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$75,650	$63,740 – $84,260	200
49	Mechanical DraftersAssociate's degree	$75,510	$48,120 – $99,940	160
50	ChiropractorsDoctoral or professional degree	$74,810	$26,120 – $126,270	240

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA. The rarer ones are real jobs — but a 1,190-person occupation at the top of a list answers a different question than the one most readers are asking.

More for Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA

Other metro areas in IA

By field in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA

Without a degree

The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA

More for Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA

Other metro areas in IA

By field in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA

Without a degree

High paying entry level jobs in each state