High paying jobs in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA that need no degree

These occupations pay well in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA and typically require less than a bachelor's degree to enter — a high school diploma, a postsecondary certificate, or an associate's degree. Entry requirements come from the BLS Employment Projections program and describe what is typical, not mandatory.

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

1Commercial Pilots$121,490
Postsecondary nondegree award
$81,270 – $206,390130
2First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$117,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$82,670 – $137,440330
3First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$110,210
Postsecondary nondegree award
$70,560 – $112,140160
4Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$102,230
High school diploma or equivalent
$74,790 – $115,000200
5Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$100,880
High school diploma or equivalent
$72,000 – $168,050470
6First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$98,590
High school diploma or equivalent
$54,230 – $177,560920
7Dental Hygienists$93,660
Associate's degree
$74,630 – $96,060750
8Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$87,080
Associate's degree
$78,110 – $101,600170
9First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$82,090
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,380 – $103,9902,720
10Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$81,810
High school diploma or equivalent
$62,540 – $104,4701,240
11Detectives and Criminal Investigators$79,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$56,960 – $141,650220
12First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers$79,230
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,990 – $113,1201,400
13Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$76,440
Associate's degree
$58,410 – $105,550230
14Massage Therapists$76,090
Postsecondary nondegree award
$45,920 – $77,320150
15Respiratory Therapists$75,650
Associate's degree
$63,740 – $84,260200
16Mechanical Drafters$75,510
Associate's degree
$48,120 – $99,940160
17Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$75,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,720 – $99,5702,150
18Construction and Building Inspectors$73,910
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,980 – $91,090390
19Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$73,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,150 – $101,2502,100
20Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$72,470
Associate's degree
$46,380 – $96,580380
21First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers$71,690
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,910 – $103,7703,100
22First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$71,150
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,460 – $100,6701,300
23Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall$70,410
No formal educational credential
$45,180 – $76,920200
24Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment$70,180
Postsecondary nondegree award
$51,300 – $82,200130
25Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$67,640
Associate's degree
$58,450 – $86,520560
26Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$67,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,970 – $87,750330
27Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products$67,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,820 – $128,1904,900
28Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$66,920
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,310 – $85,190510
29Food Service Managers$66,860
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,440 – $92,410410
30Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other$66,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,970 – $81,2601,340
31Sheet Metal Workers$66,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,080 – $92,330350
32Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$65,810
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,680 – $92,550760
33Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel$65,510
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,360 – $125,4202,400
34Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants$64,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,390 – $89,1201,740
35Public Safety Telecommunicators$64,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,070 – $78,630170
36Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers$64,270
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,090 – $80,240280
37Postal Service Mail Carriers$64,250
No formal educational credential
$42,390 – $81,040690
38Architectural and Civil Drafters$64,240
Associate's degree
$45,590 – $96,290360
39Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians$63,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,350 – $78,970240
40Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners$63,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,880 – $81,010150
41Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$63,670
Postsecondary nondegree award
$51,970 – $78,4101,040
42Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs$63,650
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,320 – $86,840450
43Industrial Machinery Mechanics$63,590
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,110 – $82,780750
44Tax Preparers$63,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,520 – $94,300210
45Correctional Officers and Jailers$63,230
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,920 – $75,850610
46Tire Builders$63,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,650 – $63,820310
47Electricians$62,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,740 – $92,6502,870
48Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$62,640
Postsecondary nondegree award
$46,020 – $98,460900
49Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$62,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,710 – $82,9701,260
50Glaziers$62,590
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,100 – $81,190180

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	Commercial PilotsPostsecondary nondegree award	$121,490	$81,270 – $206,390	130
2	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$117,790	$82,670 – $137,440	330
3	First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$110,210	$70,560 – $112,140	160
4	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$102,230	$74,790 – $115,000	200
5	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$100,880	$72,000 – $168,050	470
6	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$98,590	$54,230 – $177,560	920
7	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$93,660	$74,630 – $96,060	750
8	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$87,080	$78,110 – $101,600	170
9	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,090	$60,380 – $103,990	2,720
10	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,810	$62,540 – $104,470	1,240
11	Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,560	$56,960 – $141,650	220
12	First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,230	$50,990 – $113,120	1,400
13	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$76,440	$58,410 – $105,550	230
14	Massage TherapistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$76,090	$45,920 – $77,320	150
15	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$75,650	$63,740 – $84,260	200
16	Mechanical DraftersAssociate's degree	$75,510	$48,120 – $99,940	160
17	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,040	$47,720 – $99,570	2,150
18	Construction and Building InspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,910	$46,980 – $91,090	390
19	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,710	$51,150 – $101,250	2,100
20	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$72,470	$46,380 – $96,580	380
21	First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$71,690	$45,910 – $103,770	3,100
22	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$71,150	$47,460 – $100,670	1,300
23	Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and WallNo formal educational credential	$70,410	$45,180 – $76,920	200
24	Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial EquipmentPostsecondary nondegree award	$70,180	$51,300 – $82,200	130
25	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$67,640	$58,450 – $86,520	560
26	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$67,450	$47,970 – $87,750	330
27	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific ProductsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$67,040	$42,820 – $128,190	4,900
28	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$66,920	$47,310 – $85,190	510
29	Food Service ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,860	$47,440 – $92,410	410
30	Office and Administrative Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,710	$42,970 – $81,260	1,340
31	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,000	$44,080 – $92,330	350
32	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,810	$48,680 – $92,550	760
33	Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and TravelHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,510	$36,360 – $125,420	2,400
34	Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,990	$49,390 – $89,120	1,740
35	Public Safety TelecommunicatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,380	$50,070 – $78,630	170
36	Security and Fire Alarm Systems InstallersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,270	$46,090 – $80,240	280
37	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$64,250	$42,390 – $81,040	690
38	Architectural and Civil DraftersAssociate's degree	$64,240	$45,590 – $96,290	360
39	Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,750	$47,350 – $78,970	240
40	Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe CleanersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,750	$42,880 – $81,010	150
41	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$63,670	$51,970 – $78,410	1,040
42	Eligibility Interviewers, Government ProgramsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,650	$45,320 – $86,840	450
43	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,590	$49,110 – $82,780	750
44	Tax PreparersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,560	$38,520 – $94,300	210
45	Correctional Officers and JailersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,230	$49,920 – $75,850	610
46	Tire BuildersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,060	$38,650 – $63,820	310
47	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,840	$39,740 – $92,650	2,870
48	Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$62,640	$46,020 – $98,460	900
49	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,610	$46,710 – $82,970	1,260
50	GlaziersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,590	$46,100 – $81,190	180

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 that need no degree

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