Jobs in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA Pay, demand and occupations in this metropolitan area.
In short: Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA: 404,130 jobs, median pay $51,820 a year.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 09/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
$51,820 median pay
404,130 jobs
15 cities listed
$113,430 top (90th pct.)
Overview Largest occupations Top pay Fields Cities Open jobs FAQ Sources Overview METRO Official statistic Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 · Data: May 2025
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA is a metropolitan area in Iowa . BLS counts 404,130 wage-and-salary jobs here, with a median pay of $51,820 a year (the lowest-paid tenth earn under $29,900 and the highest-paid tenth more than $113,430).
Cities in our guides that belong to this area: Des Moines , Ankeny , West Des Moines , Urbandale , Waukee , Johnston , Altoona , Clive , Grimes , Indianola , Newton , Norwalk .
Private-sector jobs → Federal jobs → All metro areas
Largest occupations METRO Official statistic Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 · Data: May 2025
The 40 largest occupations here (at least 100 jobs).
Sort: Occupation Jobs Median pay Entry (10th pct.) Top (90th pct.) Location quotient A–Z / Smallest first ▲ Z–A / Largest first ▼
Occupation ⇅ Jobs ⇅ Median pay ⇅ Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ Top (90th pct.) ⇅ Location quotient ⇅ Customer Service Representatives 12,070 $48,880 $35,920 $66,240 1.79 Retail Salespersons 11,000 $33,430 $27,630 $46,780 1.09 Fast Food and Counter Workers 10,060 $29,140 $21,870 $36,400 1.00 Cashiers 8,720 $29,640 $24,140 $37,610 1.09 General and Operations Managers 8,370 $98,780 $46,950 $208,630 0.92 Registered Nurses 8,130 $78,630 $64,680 $100,500 0.93 Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers 7,840 $60,720 $43,950 $79,240 1.46 Stockers and Order Fillers 7,430 $36,800 $29,090 $48,480 1.01 Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand 7,000 $46,370 $33,580 $55,770 0.91 Waiters and Waitresses 6,250 $20,410 $15,080 $48,760 1.06 Home Health and Personal Care Aides 6,210 $36,350 $30,800 $44,520 0.55 Office Clerks, General 6,010 $46,540 $31,600 $62,180 0.94 Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 5,720 $35,000 $29,570 $46,850 1.00 Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary 5,140 $34,620 $23,740 $38,340 1.39 Business Operations Specialists, All Other 5,130 $86,540 $55,890 $138,850 1.82 Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products 4,900 $67,040 $42,820 $128,190 1.52 Accountants and Auditors 4,850 $79,290 $56,390 $128,130 1.29 Nursing Assistants 4,660 $43,940 $35,420 $50,630 1.24 Software Developers 4,240 $126,460 $79,170 $168,180 0.97 Financial Managers 3,800 $154,140 $94,230 $263,790 1.74 Maintenance and Repair Workers, General 3,780 $50,780 $37,620 $74,970 0.95 Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks 3,670 $50,610 $36,410 $68,500 1.03 Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education 3,640 $61,650 $46,090 $79,610 1.01 Construction Laborers 3,510 $49,980 $40,080 $72,370 1.23 Light Truck Drivers 3,470 $43,200 $31,080 $60,630 1.36 Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists 3,440 $76,580 $45,920 $128,100 1.47 Cooks, Restaurant 3,320 $36,070 $29,670 $45,010 0.91 Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive 3,110 $47,500 $35,490 $63,510 0.70 First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers 3,100 $71,690 $45,910 $103,770 0.83 Insurance Sales Agents 2,940 $61,140 $27,620 $128,510 2.36 Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators 2,880 $47,880 $31,940 $60,420 0.79 Electricians 2,870 $62,840 $39,740 $92,650 1.46 First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers 2,720 $82,090 $60,380 $103,990 1.29 First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers 2,690 $42,650 $29,630 $62,130 0.85 Computer Systems Analysts 2,680 $102,070 $67,020 $140,820 1.98 Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education 2,660 $62,480 $47,870 $82,100 0.96 First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers 2,650 $47,800 $35,590 $76,290 0.91 Project Management Specialists 2,640 $101,150 $65,760 $150,290 0.95 Human Resources Specialists 2,450 $71,600 $46,940 $120,470 1.03 Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel 2,400 $65,510 $36,360 $125,420 0.73
Top pay METRO Official statistic Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 · Data: May 2025
The 40 highest-paying occupations among those with at least 300 jobs.
Sort: Occupation Jobs Median pay Entry (10th pct.) Top (90th pct.) Location quotient A–Z / Smallest first ▲ Z–A / Largest first ▼
Occupation ⇅ Jobs ⇅ Median pay ⇅ Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ Top (90th pct.) ⇅ Location quotient ⇅ Physicians, All Other 460 $309,880 $69,670 $423,130 0.51 Chief Executives 1,230 $290,870 $96,550 $390,260 2.31 Dentists, General 360 $209,300 $137,870 $259,990 1.11 Computer and Information Systems Managers 2,050 $164,840 $111,990 $215,440 1.17 Financial Managers 3,800 $154,140 $94,230 $263,790 1.74 Architectural and Engineering Managers 360 $148,330 $100,600 $211,950 0.62 Pharmacists 850 $141,110 $123,510 $164,900 1.01 Managers, All Other 1,420 $139,110 $74,050 $234,030 0.88 Human Resources Managers 520 $138,140 $91,450 $233,690 0.91 Sales Managers 1,200 $136,570 $75,420 $223,300 0.73 Marketing Managers 950 $135,140 $81,220 $214,220 0.93 Lawyers 1,760 $134,560 $65,830 $292,020 0.90 Physician Assistants 340 $133,830 $99,990 $188,860 0.80 Nurse Practitioners 820 $132,230 $113,470 $166,960 0.97 Actuaries 400 $130,540 $81,980 $173,480 5.79 Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products 1,010 $126,830 $62,070 $197,770 1.36 Software Developers 4,240 $126,460 $79,170 $168,180 0.97 Administrative Services Managers 630 $126,190 $76,680 $172,400 0.92 Information Security Analysts 720 $123,740 $73,200 $167,610 1.46 Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary 850 $117,980 $79,840 $153,260 0.99 Computer Occupations, All Other 1,770 $109,490 $50,840 $163,770 1.57 Computer Network Architects 640 $108,280 $66,870 $160,320 1.38 Financial Risk Specialists 350 $108,110 $81,950 $168,440 2.09 Industrial Production Managers 510 $107,550 $74,710 $177,960 0.79 Construction Managers 1,020 $103,920 $65,560 $201,450 1.03 Data Scientists 1,240 $103,030 $65,480 $150,190 1.82 Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary 330 $102,220 $63,590 $170,340 0.57 Computer Systems Analysts 2,680 $102,070 $67,020 $140,820 1.98 Medical and Health Services Managers 1,330 $101,550 $77,210 $179,860 0.86 Project Management Specialists 2,640 $101,150 $65,760 $150,290 0.95 General and Operations Managers 8,370 $98,780 $46,950 $208,630 0.92 First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers 920 $98,590 $54,230 $177,560 1.65 Financial and Investment Analysts 1,160 $98,490 $63,910 $155,480 1.23 Industrial Engineers 520 $98,270 $74,110 $134,040 0.55 Physical Therapists 740 $97,790 $75,510 $120,730 1.06 Civil Engineers 830 $97,330 $65,080 $140,780 0.87 Occupational Health and Safety Specialists 390 $92,310 $63,900 $139,560 1.07 Management Analysts 2,110 $90,730 $58,660 $135,200 0.90 Business Operations Specialists, All Other 5,130 $86,540 $55,890 $138,850 1.82 Mechanical Engineers 390 $85,490 $70,770 $133,600 0.50
Fields METRO Official statistic Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 · Data: May 2025
Sort: Field Jobs Median pay Location quotient A–Z / Smallest first ▲ Z–A / Largest first ▼
Field ⇅ Jobs ⇅ Median pay ⇅ Location quotient ⇅ Office and Administrative Support 49,810 $48,790 1.08 Sales and Related 38,890 $37,570 1.11 Business and Financial Operations 35,200 $80,390 1.29 Transportation and Material Moving 34,800 $46,120 0.98 Food Preparation and Serving Related 33,400 $30,320 0.94 Management 29,300 $120,120 1.01 Educational Instruction and Library 23,060 $47,910 0.97 Healthcare Practitioners and Technical 22,540 $78,110 0.88 Construction and Extraction 19,550 $62,090 1.17 Production 18,150 $49,190 0.82 Computer and Mathematical 17,190 $101,550 1.26 Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 15,580 $60,440 0.98 Healthcare Support 15,140 $38,290 0.74 Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance 11,150 $36,350 0.94 Personal Care and Service 9,130 $31,720 1.08 Protective Service 6,620 $56,390 0.67 Community and Social Service 6,120 $51,990 0.88 Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 5,790 $55,740 1.09 Architecture and Engineering 4,850 $82,840 0.71 Life, Physical, and Social Science 3,970 $78,620 1.04 Legal 3,390 $83,700 1.00 Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 490 $44,850 0.43
Cities CITY Official statistic Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year (via Census Reporter) · Data: ACS 2020–2024
Sort: City State Population Median rent A–Z / Smallest first ▲ Z–A / Largest first ▼
City ⇅ State ⇅ Population ⇅ Median rent ⇅ Des Moines Iowa 212,421 $1,090 Ankeny Iowa 72,615 $1,319 West Des Moines Iowa 71,083 $1,237 Urbandale Iowa 46,595 $1,211 Waukee Iowa 29,236 $1,383 Johnston Iowa 24,384 $1,338 Altoona Iowa 21,495 $1,235 Clive Iowa 19,012 $1,073 Grimes Iowa 16,366 $1,251 Indianola Iowa 16,044 $986 Newton Iowa 15,700 $819 Norwalk Iowa 14,183 $838 Pleasant Hill Iowa 11,136 $1,215 Bondurant Iowa 8,560 $1,337 Perry Iowa 7,985 $931
FAQ How many jobs are there in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA? BLS counts 404,130 wage-and-salary jobs (OEWS, May 2025).
What is the median pay in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA? $51,820 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Which occupation pays most in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA? Physicians, All Other, with a median of $309,880 among occupations with at least 300 jobs.
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