Surveyors Salary in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
The median pay for a surveyors in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA is $76,920/year ($36.98/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $66K at the entry level to $105K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.7), which stretches that salary to about $83,882 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,318/month, or 26.1% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $77K 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 surveyors
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Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
Entry-level surveyors (10th percentile) start around $66K. Mid-career wages sit at $77K. Top earners bring in $105K or more, a $39K spread from bottom to top.
Surveyors pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $104K | +43% | 3,750 |
| New Jersey | $93K | +28% | 950 |
| Washington | $88K | +21% | 800 |
| Oregon | $88K | +21% | 580 |
| South Dakota | $86K | +19% | 170 |
| Alaska | $86K | +18% | 290 |
| Delaware | $85K | +17% | 70 |
| Massachusetts | $84K | +16% | 1,800 |
| Nevada | $83K | +14% | 570 |
| Indiana | $81K | +11% | 1,000 |
| Maine | $81K | +11% | 300 |
| Hawaii | $80K | +10% | 120 |
| Montana | $79K | +9% | 360 |
| New York | $79K | +9% | 1,570 |
| North Dakota | $79K | +8% | 310 |
| Arizona | $78K | +8% | 1,440 |
| Illinois | $78K | +7% | 1,450 |
| Wyoming | $77K | +6% | 220 |
| Wisconsin | $77K | +6% | 660 |
| Connecticut | $77K | +6% | 530 |
| Iowa | $77K | +5% | 450 |
| New Mexico | $75K | +3% | 210 |
| Tennessee | $75K | +3% | 800 |
| Idaho | $74K | +2% | 270 |
| Pennsylvania | $74K | +1% | 1,360 |
| Virginia | $73K | +1% | 1,410 |
| Kansas | $71K | -3% | 400 |
| Michigan | $70K | -4% | 1,410 |
| Vermont | $69K | -6% | 130 |
| North Carolina | $68K | -7% | 1,660 |
| Kentucky | $67K | -8% | 580 |
| New Hampshire | $67K | -8% | 260 |
| Nebraska | $66K | -9% | 260 |
| Ohio | $66K | -9% | 1,160 |
| Utah | $64K | -12% | 660 |
| Alabama | $64K | -12% | 830 |
| South Carolina | $62K | -15% | 870 |
| Florida | $62K | -15% | 4,310 |
| Maryland | $62K | -15% | 1,150 |
| West Virginia | $62K | -15% | 520 |
| Oklahoma | $61K | -16% | 890 |
| Georgia | $60K | -17% | 1,720 |
| Louisiana | $60K | -17% | 1,360 |
| District of Columbia | $60K | -18% | N/A |
| Missouri | $60K | -18% | 1,150 |
| Texas | $59K | -18% | 7,530 |
| Mississippi | $57K | -21% | 590 |
| Arkansas | $57K | -21% | 520 |
| Rhode Island | $52K | -29% | 130 |
| Minnesota | $47K | -36% | 1,850 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track surveyors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Des Moines-West Des Moines numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
How much do surveyors make in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?
The median is $76,920 a year, that works out to about $37 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $66,360, and experienced surveyors can clear $105,410. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $77K enough to live in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,878/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,318/month, which eats 27% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a surveyors 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 surveyors salary is worth about $83,882 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do surveyors 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.