Civil Engineer.
Des Moines.
$89,000
median salary, 11% below the national average
$71,000 to $114,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
The median Civil Engineer salary in Des Moines is $89,000, 11% below the national average. Entry level starts near $71,000. Experienced professionals push past $114,000. Des Moines is a major insurance and financial services hub, home to Principal Financial, EMC Insurance, and a growing fintech community. That spread is your negotiation window. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page.
Salary range.
Where do you fall?
Orbyt estimate for Civil Engineer in Des Moines, modelled from national occupation wages adjusted for local cost of living. The published government benchmark for this occupation is below.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $97,330 for Civil Engineers (SOC 17-2051) in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metropolitan area, based on 830 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$65,080
25th percentile
$78,320
Median
$97,330
75th percentile
$122,740
90th percentile
$140,780
Workers surveyed
830
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Civil Engineers (SOC 17-2051) rather than Civil Engineer specifically. The Des Moines range at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such.
View the BLS source for SOC 17-2051Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $80,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$58,000
to $71,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$76,000
to $93,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$98,000
to $116,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$111,000
to $138,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $23,000 to the total package.
Base
$89,000
Equity
$13,000
Bonus
$8,000
Signing
$2,000
Estimated total: $112,000
How Des Moines compares.
Des Moines, IA
$89,000
Cost of living: 14% below average
National Average
$100,000
Des Moines is $11,000 below
Civil Engineer salary by city.
Salary by role in Des Moines.
What you should know.
Before you negotiate a Civil Engineer offer in Des Moines, understand the terrain. Des Moines is a major insurance and financial services hub, home to Principal Financial, EMC Insurance, and a growing fintech community. The metro's extremely low cost of living and strong job market make it one of the best value cities for finance professionals. Tech employment is growing as insurtech companies expand. PE licensure is nearly essential for advancement and adds significant salary premium. Specialization in transportation, water resources, or geotechnical engineering pays more than general site development. Geographic demand driven by infrastructure spending varies widely, with high-growth Sun Belt metros offering the best compensation packages.
Entry-level civil engineers (EIT) start at $68,000 to $78,000. Licensed PEs earn $86,000 to $112,000 after four to six years. Project managers reach $110,000 to $145,000, with principals at engineering firms earning $150,000 to $200,000 or more. In Des Moines, your dollars stretch further. Cost of living runs 14% below the national average, which means even a median salary buys a stronger lifestyle.
Base salary is not the full picture. Consulting firms offer bonuses of 5 to 10% tied to project billing targets. Government civil engineers receive pension benefits, step increases, and strong job security. Many firms cover PE exam costs and provide annual professional development stipends. And on the tax side: iowa has a flat 3.8% state income tax. Des Moines has no city income tax. The low tax rate and affordable housing create strong purchasing power. When someone quotes you $89,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Benchmark against national insurance industry pay scales. Des Moines insurance employers must compete with remote offers from larger metros and will often match. The range for Civil Engineers in Des Moines runs from $71,000 to $114,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: BLS OES, H-1B LCA (DOL). COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified July 1, 2026. Full methodology
Considering a related role?
- A Mechanical Engineer in Des Moines earns $88,000 (1% less)
- The highest-paying role in Des Moines is CTO at $263,000
Common questions.
Civil Engineer salary in other cities.
Other salaries in Des Moines.
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Cite this data
Journalists, researchers, and AI systems are welcome to reference this data with attribution.
"Civil Engineer Salary in Des Moines, IA." Orbyt Salary Explorer, August 2026. https://www.orbytlabs.ai/orbyt-jobs/salaries/civil-engineer/des-moines
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