Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA

Each occupation's median wage in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA compared against the national median for the same occupation. Unlike a cost-of-living adjustment — which scales every job in a state by the same constant and so cannot change their order — this genuinely re-ranks, and it shows where Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

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 · vs. national

1Soil and Plant Scientists$132,290
Bachelor's degree
$74,250 – $171,530+67.8%
2Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other$66,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,970 – $81,260+46.1%
3Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall$70,410
No formal educational credential
$45,180 – $76,920+43.3%
4Chief Executives$290,870
Bachelor's degree
$96,550 – $390,260+35.9%
5Property Appraisers and Assessors$92,370
Bachelor's degree
$54,290 – $146,400+35.9%
6Helpers--Production Workers$52,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,060 – $54,390+33.2%
7Loan Officers$101,190
Bachelor's degree
$55,960 – $163,910+31.9%
8Massage Therapists$76,090
Postsecondary nondegree award
$45,920 – $77,320+30.2%
9Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners$63,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,880 – $81,010+27.8%
10Parts Salespersons$48,850
No formal educational credential
$29,950 – $70,360+26.5%
11Dentists, General$209,300
Doctoral or professional degree
$137,870 – $259,990+22.4%
12Public Safety Telecommunicators$64,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,070 – $78,630+21.4%
13Highway Maintenance Workers$60,900
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,060 – $75,990+21.2%
14Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$126,830
Bachelor's degree
$62,070 – $197,770+20.9%
15Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists$79,370
Bachelor's degree
$58,750 – $94,810+19.8%
16Driver/Sales Workers$46,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$22,670 – $65,900+19.5%
17Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics$60,470
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,900 – $78,570+19.5%
18Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers$45,750
No formal educational credential
$30,500 – $46,860+19.5%
19Health Education Specialists$75,750
Bachelor's degree
$46,960 – $96,000+18.2%
20Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$51,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,770 – $60,090+18.2%
21First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$110,210
Postsecondary nondegree award
$70,560 – $112,140+17.8%
22Court, Municipal, and License Clerks$57,300
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,840 – $68,430+17.7%
23Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$75,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,720 – $99,570+17.6%
24Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs$63,650
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,320 – $86,840+17.4%
25Physicians, All Other$309,880
Doctoral or professional degree
$69,670 – $423,130+16.5%
26Painters, Construction and Maintenance$57,410
No formal educational credential
$38,550 – $70,190+16.2%
27Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$58,870
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,500 – $66,340+16.1%
28Tax Preparers$63,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,520 – $94,300+15.7%
29Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers$45,180
No formal educational credential
$30,020 – $58,980+15.4%
30Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$46,370
No formal educational credential
$33,580 – $55,770+15.2%
31Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors$56,990
No formal educational credential
$40,720 – $74,080+14.7%
32Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$52,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,590 – $59,450+13.6%
33Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians$63,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,350 – $78,970+12.7%
34First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$98,590
High school diploma or equivalent
$54,230 – $177,560+12.6%
35Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$55,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,340 – $62,530+12.6%
36Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$67,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,970 – $87,750+12.4%
37Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$59,980
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,220 – $74,850+11.6%
38Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$72,470
Associate's degree
$46,380 – $96,580+11.6%
39Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$117,980
Master's degree
$79,840 – $153,260+11.4%
40Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$75,960
Master's degree
$37,600 – $91,640+11.3%
41Food Batchmakers$47,010
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,710 – $61,850+11.2%
42First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$117,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$82,670 – $137,440+11.1%
43Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$52,980
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,510 – $63,260+10.6%
44Administrative Services Managers$126,190
Bachelor's degree
$76,680 – $172,400+10.6%
45Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers$43,320
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,130 – $52,720+10.0%
46Bill and Account Collectors$51,730
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,380 – $75,700+10.0%
47Tire Builders$63,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,650 – $63,820+9.9%
48Glaziers$62,590
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,100 – $81,190+9.7%
49Customer Service Representatives$48,880
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,920 – $66,240+9.2%
50Family Medicine Physicians$265,200
Doctoral or professional degree
$190,600 – $520,860+8.6%

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	vs. national
1	Soil and Plant ScientistsBachelor's degree	$132,290	$74,250 – $171,530	+67.8%
2	Office and Administrative Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,710	$42,970 – $81,260	+46.1%
3	Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and WallNo formal educational credential	$70,410	$45,180 – $76,920	+43.3%
4	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$290,870	$96,550 – $390,260	+35.9%
5	Property Appraisers and AssessorsBachelor's degree	$92,370	$54,290 – $146,400	+35.9%
6	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,050	$31,060 – $54,390	+33.2%
7	Loan OfficersBachelor's degree	$101,190	$55,960 – $163,910	+31.9%
8	Massage TherapistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$76,090	$45,920 – $77,320	+30.2%
9	Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe CleanersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,750	$42,880 – $81,010	+27.8%
10	Parts SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$48,850	$29,950 – $70,360	+26.5%
11	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$209,300	$137,870 – $259,990	+22.4%
12	Public Safety TelecommunicatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,380	$50,070 – $78,630	+21.4%
13	Highway Maintenance WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,900	$50,060 – $75,990	+21.2%
14	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$126,830	$62,070 – $197,770	+20.9%
15	Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$79,370	$58,750 – $94,810	+19.8%
16	Driver/Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,330	$22,670 – $65,900	+19.5%
17	Automotive Service Technicians and MechanicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$60,470	$36,900 – $78,570	+19.5%
18	Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and TrimmersNo formal educational credential	$45,750	$30,500 – $46,860	+19.5%
19	Health Education SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$75,750	$46,960 – $96,000	+18.2%
20	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,100	$36,770 – $60,090	+18.2%
21	First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$110,210	$70,560 – $112,140	+17.8%
22	Court, Municipal, and License ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,300	$42,840 – $68,430	+17.7%
23	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,040	$47,720 – $99,570	+17.6%
24	Eligibility Interviewers, Government ProgramsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,650	$45,320 – $86,840	+17.4%
25	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$309,880	$69,670 – $423,130	+16.5%
26	Painters, Construction and MaintenanceNo formal educational credential	$57,410	$38,550 – $70,190	+16.2%
27	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,870	$39,500 – $66,340	+16.1%
28	Tax PreparersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,560	$38,520 – $94,300	+15.7%
29	Landscaping and Groundskeeping WorkersNo formal educational credential	$45,180	$30,020 – $58,980	+15.4%
30	Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNo formal educational credential	$46,370	$33,580 – $55,770	+15.2%
31	Refuse and Recyclable Material CollectorsNo formal educational credential	$56,990	$40,720 – $74,080	+14.7%
32	Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,920	$45,590 – $59,450	+13.6%
33	Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,750	$47,350 – $78,970	+12.7%
34	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$98,590	$54,230 – $177,560	+12.6%
35	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,170	$44,340 – $62,530	+12.6%
36	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$67,450	$47,970 – $87,750	+12.4%
37	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,980	$47,220 – $74,850	+11.6%
38	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$72,470	$46,380 – $96,580	+11.6%
39	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$117,980	$79,840 – $153,260	+11.4%
40	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$75,960	$37,600 – $91,640	+11.3%
41	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,010	$34,710 – $61,850	+11.2%
42	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$117,790	$82,670 – $137,440	+11.1%
43	Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,980	$36,510 – $63,260	+10.6%
44	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$126,190	$76,680 – $172,400	+10.6%
45	Merchandise Displayers and Window TrimmersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,320	$32,130 – $52,720	+10.0%
46	Bill and Account CollectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,730	$38,380 – $75,700	+10.0%
47	Tire BuildersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,060	$38,650 – $63,820	+9.9%
48	GlaziersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,590	$46,100 – $81,190	+9.7%
49	Customer Service RepresentativesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,880	$35,920 – $66,240	+9.2%
50	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$265,200	$190,600 – $520,860	+8.6%

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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.

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA

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