Urban and Regional Planners Salary in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
Urban and Regional Planners in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA make a median of $81,330 a year, or about $39.1 an hour. The range runs from $63K at the entry level to $102K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.7), which stretches that salary to about $88,691 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,318/month, or 25.6% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $81K 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 urban and regional planners
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Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
Entry-level urban and regional planners (10th percentile) start around $63K. Mid-career wages sit at $81K. Top earners bring in $102K or more, a $39K spread from bottom to top.
Urban and Regional Planners pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $130K | +55% | 140 |
| California | $105K | +26% | 7,630 |
| Washington | $98K | +17% | 2,840 |
| Connecticut | $95K | +13% | 380 |
| New York | $95K | +13% | 2,100 |
| Oregon | $92K | +10% | 1,100 |
| Minnesota | $92K | +10% | 830 |
| Nevada | $89K | +6% | 240 |
| Massachusetts | $88K | +5% | 1,570 |
| Maryland | $87K | +4% | 800 |
| Alaska | $86K | +3% | 270 |
| Rhode Island | $86K | +3% | 190 |
| New Jersey | $85K | +1% | 750 |
| North Dakota | $84K | +1% | 80 |
| Kansas | $84K | -0% | 350 |
| Vermont | $82K | -2% | 140 |
| Virginia | $82K | -2% | 1,710 |
| Hawaii | $80K | -4% | 450 |
| Illinois | $80K | -4% | 1,190 |
| North Carolina | $78K | -6% | 1,640 |
| Arizona | $78K | -7% | 1,110 |
| Texas | $78K | -7% | 2,150 |
| New Hampshire | $78K | -7% | 210 |
| Oklahoma | $78K | -7% | 330 |
| Missouri | $77K | -8% | 400 |
| Florida | $77K | -8% | 2,640 |
| Wisconsin | $77K | -9% | 830 |
| Michigan | $76K | -9% | 1,070 |
| Georgia | $76K | -9% | 1,070 |
| Montana | $76K | -9% | 230 |
| Iowa | $76K | -9% | 280 |
| Maine | $76K | -10% | 220 |
| Utah | $75K | -10% | 550 |
| Pennsylvania | $75K | -10% | 1,090 |
| Ohio | $74K | -11% | 660 |
| Kentucky | $73K | -13% | 190 |
| Wyoming | $70K | -17% | 100 |
| South Dakota | $68K | -19% | 260 |
| Tennessee | $68K | -19% | 240 |
| Idaho | $67K | -20% | 390 |
| New Mexico | $67K | -20% | 410 |
| Delaware | $66K | -21% | 350 |
| Indiana | $66K | -21% | 510 |
| South Carolina | $66K | -22% | 440 |
| Nebraska | $65K | -22% | 340 |
| Alabama | $65K | -23% | 560 |
| Louisiana | $65K | -23% | 250 |
| Mississippi | $62K | -26% | 210 |
| Arkansas | $61K | -27% | 90 |
| West Virginia | $58K | -30% | 180 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track urban and regional planners 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 urban and regional planners make in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?
The median is $81,330 a year, that works out to about $39 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $62,650, and experienced urban and regional planners can clear $101,560. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $81K enough to live in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,116/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,318/month, which eats 25.8% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a urban and regional planners 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 urban and regional planners salary is worth about $88,691 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do urban and regional planners 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.