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

Every occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA. The percentile range matters more than the median on its own: it shows what the bottom and top of each field actually earn, which a single average hides.

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

1Physicians, All Other$309,880
Doctoral or professional degree
$69,670 – $423,130460
2Chief Executives$290,870
Bachelor's degree
$96,550 – $390,2601,230
3Family Medicine Physicians$265,200
Doctoral or professional degree
$190,600 – $520,860250
4Dentists, General$209,300
Doctoral or professional degree
$137,870 – $259,990360
5Computer and Information Systems Managers$164,840
Bachelor's degree
$111,990 – $215,4402,050
6Financial Managers$154,140
Bachelor's degree
$94,230 – $263,7903,800
7Architectural and Engineering Managers$148,330
Bachelor's degree
$100,600 – $211,950360
8Pharmacists$141,110
Doctoral or professional degree
$123,510 – $164,900850
9Managers, All Other$139,110
Bachelor's degree
$74,050 – $234,0301,420
10Human Resources Managers$138,140
Bachelor's degree
$91,450 – $233,690520
11Sales Managers$136,570
Bachelor's degree
$75,420 – $223,3001,200
12Marketing Managers$135,140
Bachelor's degree
$81,220 – $214,220950
13Lawyers$134,560
Doctoral or professional degree
$65,830 – $292,0201,760
14Physician Assistants$133,830
Master's degree
$99,990 – $188,860340
15Soil and Plant Scientists$132,290
Bachelor's degree
$74,250 – $171,530430
16Nurse Practitioners$132,230
Master's degree
$113,470 – $166,960820
17Veterinarians$130,900
Doctoral or professional degree
$80,190 – $171,590210
18Actuaries$130,540
Bachelor's degree
$81,980 – $173,480400
19Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$126,830
Bachelor's degree
$62,070 – $197,7701,010
20Public Relations Managers$126,520
Bachelor's degree
$77,460 – $195,420270
21Software Developers$126,460
Bachelor's degree
$79,170 – $168,1804,240
22Administrative Services Managers$126,190
Bachelor's degree
$76,680 – $172,400630
23Information Security Analysts$123,740
Bachelor's degree
$73,200 – $167,610720
24Purchasing Managers$122,910
Bachelor's degree
$85,660 – $198,910140
25Commercial Pilots$121,490
Postsecondary nondegree award
$81,270 – $206,390130
26Database Architects$120,030
Bachelor's degree
$76,320 – $153,090140
27Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$117,980
Master's degree
$79,840 – $153,260850
28First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$117,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$82,670 – $137,440330
29First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$110,210
Postsecondary nondegree award
$70,560 – $112,140160
30Database Administrators$109,750
Bachelor's degree
$61,420 – $157,350130
31Computer Occupations, All Other$109,490
Bachelor's degree
$50,840 – $163,7701,770
32Computer Network Architects$108,280
Bachelor's degree
$66,870 – $160,320640
33Financial Risk Specialists$108,110
Bachelor's degree
$81,950 – $168,440350
34Industrial Production Managers$107,550
Bachelor's degree
$74,710 – $177,960510
35Electrical Engineers$107,040
Bachelor's degree
$77,790 – $153,800280
36Construction Managers$103,920
Bachelor's degree
$65,560 – $201,4501,020
37Facilities Managers$103,860
Bachelor's degree
$61,740 – $143,440590
38Data Scientists$103,030
Bachelor's degree
$65,480 – $150,1901,240
39Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$102,230
High school diploma or equivalent
$74,790 – $115,000200
40Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary$102,220
Doctoral or professional degree
$63,590 – $170,340330
41Computer Systems Analysts$102,070
Bachelor's degree
$67,020 – $140,8202,680
42Medical and Health Services Managers$101,550
Bachelor's degree
$77,210 – $179,8601,330
43Loan Officers$101,190
Bachelor's degree
$55,960 – $163,910650
44Project Management Specialists$101,150
Bachelor's degree
$65,760 – $150,2902,640
45Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$100,880
High school diploma or equivalent
$72,000 – $168,050470
46Engineers, All Other$100,880
Bachelor's degree
$73,810 – $136,410260
47Biological Scientists, All Other$99,420
Bachelor's degree
$66,040 – $119,740130
48General and Operations Managers$98,780
Bachelor's degree
$46,950 – $208,6308,370
49First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$98,590
High school diploma or equivalent
$54,230 – $177,560920
50Financial and Investment Analysts$98,490
Bachelor's degree
$63,910 – $155,4801,160

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	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$309,880	$69,670 – $423,130	460
2	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$290,870	$96,550 – $390,260	1,230
3	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$265,200	$190,600 – $520,860	250
4	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$209,300	$137,870 – $259,990	360
5	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$164,840	$111,990 – $215,440	2,050
6	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$154,140	$94,230 – $263,790	3,800
7	Architectural and Engineering ManagersBachelor's degree	$148,330	$100,600 – $211,950	360
8	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$141,110	$123,510 – $164,900	850
9	Managers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$139,110	$74,050 – $234,030	1,420
10	Human Resources ManagersBachelor's degree	$138,140	$91,450 – $233,690	520
11	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$136,570	$75,420 – $223,300	1,200
12	Marketing ManagersBachelor's degree	$135,140	$81,220 – $214,220	950
13	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$134,560	$65,830 – $292,020	1,760
14	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$133,830	$99,990 – $188,860	340
15	Soil and Plant ScientistsBachelor's degree	$132,290	$74,250 – $171,530	430
16	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$132,230	$113,470 – $166,960	820
17	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$130,900	$80,190 – $171,590	210
18	ActuariesBachelor's degree	$130,540	$81,980 – $173,480	400
19	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$126,830	$62,070 – $197,770	1,010
20	Public Relations ManagersBachelor's degree	$126,520	$77,460 – $195,420	270
21	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$126,460	$79,170 – $168,180	4,240
22	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$126,190	$76,680 – $172,400	630
23	Information Security AnalystsBachelor's degree	$123,740	$73,200 – $167,610	720
24	Purchasing ManagersBachelor's degree	$122,910	$85,660 – $198,910	140
25	Commercial PilotsPostsecondary nondegree award	$121,490	$81,270 – $206,390	130
26	Database ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$120,030	$76,320 – $153,090	140
27	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$117,980	$79,840 – $153,260	850
28	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$117,790	$82,670 – $137,440	330
29	First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$110,210	$70,560 – $112,140	160
30	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$109,750	$61,420 – $157,350	130
31	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$109,490	$50,840 – $163,770	1,770
32	Computer Network ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$108,280	$66,870 – $160,320	640
33	Financial Risk SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$108,110	$81,950 – $168,440	350
34	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$107,550	$74,710 – $177,960	510
35	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$107,040	$77,790 – $153,800	280
36	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$103,920	$65,560 – $201,450	1,020
37	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$103,860	$61,740 – $143,440	590
38	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$103,030	$65,480 – $150,190	1,240
39	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$102,230	$74,790 – $115,000	200
40	Health Specialties Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$102,220	$63,590 – $170,340	330
41	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$102,070	$67,020 – $140,820	2,680
42	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$101,550	$77,210 – $179,860	1,330
43	Loan OfficersBachelor's degree	$101,190	$55,960 – $163,910	650
44	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$101,150	$65,760 – $150,290	2,640
45	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$100,880	$72,000 – $168,050	470
46	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$100,880	$73,810 – $136,410	260
47	Biological Scientists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$99,420	$66,040 – $119,740	130
48	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$98,780	$46,950 – $208,630	8,370
49	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$98,590	$54,230 – $177,560	920
50	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$98,490	$63,910 – $155,480	1,160

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.

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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 jobs in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA

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