Top Paying Jobs in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA (2026)
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA has 150 jobs across diverse industries. The highest-paying occupations include Nurse Anesthetists ($232,960), Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers ($222,700), Chief Executives ($213,620). The cost of living index is 91.7 (national average = 100). Median 2-bedroom rent is $1,318/month.
$147K
Avg. median salary
91.7
Cost of living index
$1,318
Median 2BR rent
N/A
Population
Highest paying careers in Des Moines-West Des Moines
| Rank | Occupation | Category | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nurse Anesthetists | Healthcare | $233K | $112/hr |
| 2 | Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | Transportation | $223K | $/hr |
| 3 | Chief Executives | Management | $214K | $102.7/hr |
| 4 | Dentists, General | Healthcare | $201K | $96.85/hr |
| 5 | Real Estate Brokers | Sales | $157K | $75.53/hr |
| 6 | Computer and Information Systems Managers | Management | $147K | $70.75/hr |
| 7 | Financial Managers | Management | $144K | $69.04/hr |
| 8 | Commercial Pilots | Transportation | $141K | $/hr |
| 9 | Managers, All Other | Management | $140K | $67.08/hr |
| 10 | Human Resources Managers | Management | $137K | $66.04/hr |
| 11 | Physician Assistants | Healthcare | $134K | $64.61/hr |
| 12 | Architectural and Engineering Managers | Management | $134K | $64.57/hr |
| 13 | Marketing Managers | Management | $134K | $64.5/hr |
| 14 | Pharmacists | Healthcare | $133K | $64.13/hr |
| 15 | Sales Managers | Management | $132K | $63.64/hr |
| 16 | Database Architects | Technology | $132K | $63.41/hr |
| 17 | Nurse Practitioners | Healthcare | $132K | $63.38/hr |
| 18 | Actuaries | Technology | $131K | $63.2/hr |
| 19 | Physicists | Science | $129K | $62.09/hr |
| 20 | Optometrists | Healthcare | $127K | $61.13/hr |
| 21 | Compensation and Benefits Managers | Management | $125K | $60.14/hr |
| 22 | Software Developers | Technology | $125K | $59.92/hr |
| 23 | Administrative Services Managers | Management | $123K | $59.23/hr |
| 24 | Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products | Sales | $123K | $59.15/hr |
| 25 | Database Administrators | Technology | $122K | $58.65/hr |
Affordability snapshot: Des Moines-West Des Moines
Cost of living vs. national average-8.3% less expensive
Studio apartment (FMR)$/mo
1-bedroom apartment (FMR)$/mo
2-bedroom apartment (FMR)$1,318/mo
3-bedroom apartment (FMR)$/mo
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Calculate take-home pay in Des Moines-West Des Moines
After federal and state taxes