General Internal Medicine Physicians Salary
The median pay for a general internal medicine physicians in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA is $127,190/year ($61.15/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $70K at the entry level to $297K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.7), which stretches that salary to about $138,702 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,318/month, or 17.1% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $127K get you in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Des Moines-West Des Moines’s Regional Price Parity (91.7). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About general internal medicine physicians
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What this looks like in Des Moines-West Des Moines
Pay for general internal medicine physicians in Des Moines-West Des Moines runs about 50% below the U.S. median of $257K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,318/month, 17.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.7 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Des Moines-West Des Moines can be a reasonable trade-off for general internal medicine physicianss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for general internal medicine physicians in metros near Des Moines-West Des Moines, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Iowa City | $83K | $90K |
| Champaign-Urbana | $64K | $69K |
| St. Louis | $199K | $210K |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $330K | $315K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
Entry-level general internal medicine physicians (10th percentile) start around $70K. Mid-career wages sit at $127K. Top earners bring in $297K or more, a $227K spread from bottom to top.
General Internal Medicine Physicians pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View General Internal Medicine Physicians salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia | $425K | +66% | 5,440 |
| Rhode Island | $379K | +48% | 300 |
| Minnesota | $374K | +46% | 2,270 |
| Wisconsin | $367K | +43% | 1,450 |
| Alaska | $366K | +43% | 110 |
| South Carolina | $360K | +40% | 1,260 |
| Idaho | $355K | +39% | 130 |
| Washington | $340K | +33% | 1,100 |
| North Dakota | $338K | +32% | 200 |
| Utah | $332K | +29% | 210 |
| Mississippi | $326K | +27% | 390 |
| Maine | $317K | +24% | 270 |
| Indiana | $314K | +23% | 2,380 |
| California | $314K | +22% | 6,370 |
| Alabama | $311K | +21% | 310 |
| Colorado | $300K | +17% | 450 |
| North Carolina | $290K | +13% | 1,700 |
| Massachusetts | $285K | +11% | 1,590 |
| South Dakota | $281K | +9% | 160 |
| Texas | $269K | +5% | 3,850 |
| Oregon | $269K | +5% | 230 |
| Maryland | $260K | +2% | 3,250 |
| Arizona | $259K | +1% | 2,570 |
| Ohio | $250K | -3% | 1,540 |
| Kentucky | $242K | -6% | 1,060 |
| Arkansas | $233K | -9% | 290 |
| Tennessee | $232K | -9% | 1,370 |
| New Hampshire | $229K | -11% | 450 |
| Vermont | $229K | -11% | 180 |
| District of Columbia | $223K | -13% | 490 |
| Florida | $223K | -13% | 2,390 |
| Nebraska | $221K | -14% | 900 |
| Missouri | $217K | -16% | 160 |
| Oklahoma | $217K | -16% | 490 |
| Pennsylvania | $213K | -17% | 990 |
| Louisiana | $210K | -18% | N/A |
| Connecticut | $208K | -19% | 980 |
| New York | $183K | -28% | 10,000 |
| Michigan | $150K | -42% | 2,060 |
| Illinois | $141K | -45% | 1,130 |
| Iowa | $123K | -52% | 380 |
| Nevada | $114K | -56% | 390 |
| New Jersey | $90K | -65% | 2,920 |
| West Virginia | $73K | -72% | 630 |
Showing 1–10 of 44 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track general internal medicine physicians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Des Moines-West Des Moines numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a general internal medicine physician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Yes — at the median salary of $127K, rent takes 17.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,318/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for general internal medicine physicians in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new general internal medicine physicians typically earn — is $70K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,180/month. At HUD’s $1,318/month FMR, rent would take 32% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is general internal medicine physician a high-paying job in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Local pay runs 50% below the national median — $127K here vs. $257K nationally. Cost of living is 8% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Des Moines-West Des Moines compare to the national average for general internal medicine physicians?
Des Moines-West Des Moines pays $127K median vs. the U.S. average of $257K — that’s -50%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.7), the purchasing-power equivalent is $139K — below the national median.
How much do general internal medicine physicians make in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?
The median is $127,190 a year, that works out to about $61 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $69,670, and experienced general internal medicine physicians can clear $296,840. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $127K enough to live in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,572/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,318/month, which eats 17.4% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a general internal medicine physicians 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 general internal medicine physicians salary is worth about $138,702 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do general internal medicine physicians 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.