Electrical Engineers Salary in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
In Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA, electrical engineers earn $110,350 at the median — $53.05 an hour. Entry-level workers start around $76K. (BLS did not publish a top-end figure for this area.) Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.7), which stretches that salary to about $120,338 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,318/month, or 18.9% of estimated take-home pay.
AffordMap analysis of BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (latest release, May 2024)
So what does $110K get you in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
About electrical engineers
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
Entry-level electrical engineers (10th percentile) start around $76K. Mid-career wages sit at $110K.BLS did not publish 90th percentile data for this occupation in this area (sample size too small).
Electrical Engineers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Mexico | $144K | +29% | 1,580 |
| California | $140K | +25% | 23,650 |
| District of Columbia | $139K | +24% | 520 |
| New Hampshire | $132K | +18% | 1,420 |
| Washington | $131K | +17% | 10,010 |
| Idaho | $129K | +15% | 920 |
| Massachusetts | $126K | +13% | 4,780 |
| New Jersey | $125K | +12% | 3,620 |
| Maryland | $124K | +11% | 4,380 |
| Virginia | $122K | +9% | 5,990 |
| Vermont | $118K | +5% | 910 |
| Alabama | $116K | +4% | 4,470 |
| New York | $113K | +1% | 7,720 |
| Wyoming | $112K | -0% | 260 |
| Delaware | $112K | -0% | 600 |
Track electrical engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Des Moines-West Des Moines numbers change.
Related careers in Engineering
Frequently asked questions
How much do electrical engineers make in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?
The median is $110,350 a year - that works out to about $53.05 an hour. The range is wide: entry-level workers start around $76,480. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $110K enough to live in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,679/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,318/month (HUD Fair Market Rent), which eats 19.7% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a electrical engineers salary go in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Des Moines-West Des Moines has a Regional Price Parity of 91.7 (100 is the national average). That's below average - your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median electrical engineers salary is worth about $120,338 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do electrical engineers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.