Lawyers Salary in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
Lawyers in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA make a median of $118,750 a year, or about $57.09 an hour. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $226K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.7), which stretches that salary to about $129,498 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,318/month, or 17.6% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $119K 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 lawyers
Sponsored links — AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
Entry-level lawyers (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $119K. Top earners bring in $226K or more, a $176K spread from bottom to top.
Lawyers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $198K | +31% | 92,580 |
| District of Columbia | $192K | +27% | 33,430 |
| Massachusetts | $179K | +18% | 22,020 |
| New York | $177K | +17% | 91,440 |
| Delaware | $173K | +14% | 2,970 |
| Connecticut | $159K | +5% | 7,500 |
| New Jersey | $158K | +5% | 23,360 |
| Virginia | $158K | +5% | 18,420 |
| Illinois | $157K | +4% | 33,430 |
| Washington | $152K | +1% | 13,140 |
| Maryland | $143K | -5% | 16,420 |
| Oregon | $142K | -6% | 7,690 |
| Minnesota | $138K | -9% | 12,880 |
| Texas | $134K | -12% | 54,680 |
| Arizona | $133K | -12% | 12,130 |
| Alaska | $133K | -12% | 1,040 |
| Tennessee | $131K | -14% | 8,830 |
| Indiana | $130K | -14% | 8,510 |
| Rhode Island | $129K | -15% | 1,910 |
| Pennsylvania | $128K | -15% | 26,340 |
| Florida | $128K | -15% | 59,010 |
| Alabama | $128K | -16% | 5,810 |
| Michigan | $127K | -16% | 16,060 |
| Georgia | $126K | -16% | 23,010 |
| Utah | $126K | -17% | 5,850 |
| Ohio | $125K | -17% | 19,690 |
| North Carolina | $125K | -17% | 17,380 |
| Missouri | $124K | -18% | 11,950 |
| New Hampshire | $123K | -19% | N/A |
| Wisconsin | $120K | -21% | 8,820 |
| Hawaii | $116K | -23% | 2,430 |
| Louisiana | $113K | -26% | 8,610 |
| New Mexico | $113K | -26% | 3,130 |
| Kansas | $112K | -26% | 4,270 |
| Iowa | $108K | -29% | 3,550 |
| Nebraska | $105K | -31% | 3,470 |
| North Dakota | $105K | -31% | 1,070 |
| South Carolina | $104K | -31% | 7,270 |
| Kentucky | $103K | -32% | 6,380 |
| Idaho | $102K | -32% | 2,070 |
| West Virginia | $102K | -32% | 2,460 |
| Vermont | $101K | -33% | 1,150 |
| Montana | $101K | -33% | 2,460 |
| Maine | $100K | -34% | 2,080 |
| Wyoming | $100K | -34% | 940 |
| Oklahoma | $99K | -35% | 7,430 |
| South Dakota | $97K | -36% | 1,130 |
| Mississippi | $93K | -39% | 3,200 |
| Arkansas | $87K | -42% | 3,500 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track lawyers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Des Moines-West Des Moines numbers change.
Related careers in Legal
Frequently asked questions
How much do lawyers make in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?
The median is $118,750 a year, that works out to about $57 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,990, and experienced lawyers can clear $225,640. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $119K enough to live in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,131/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,318/month, which eats 18.5% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a lawyers 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 lawyers salary is worth about $129,498 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do lawyers 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.