Electrician.
Des Moines.
$55,000
median salary, 11% below the national average
$43,000 to $73,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
Des Moines is 14% cheaper than the national average. For Electricians, that shakes out to a median of $55,000, with the full range spanning $43,000 to $73,000. License level (journeyman vs. Know the range before you walk in. 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 Electrician 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 $62,840 for Electricians (SOC 47-2111) in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metropolitan area, based on 2,870 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$39,740
25th percentile
$46,850
Median
$62,840
75th percentile
$80,430
90th percentile
$92,650
Workers surveyed
2,870
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Electricians (SOC 47-2111) rather than Electrician 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 47-2111Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $49,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$36,000
to $44,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$47,000
to $58,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$61,000
to $72,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$69,000
to $85,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $11,000 to the total package.
Base
$55,000
Equity
$6,000
Bonus
$4,000
Signing
$1,000
Estimated total: $66,000
How Des Moines compares.
Des Moines, IA
$55,000
Cost of living: 14% below average
National Average
$62,000
Des Moines is $7,000 below
Electrician salary by city.
Salary by role in Des Moines.
What you should know.
The Electrician landscape in Des Moines is not what most salary sites will tell you. 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. License level (journeyman vs. master), union membership, and specialization are the primary factors. Industrial electricians and those working on high voltage systems earn significantly more than residential wirers. Overtime availability, geographic demand, and experience with renewable energy systems (solar, EV charging) also drive compensation upward.
Apprentice electricians earn $35,000 to $48,000 during their four to five year training. Journeyman electricians earn $55,000 to $80,000. Master electricians command $75,000 to $105,000. Electrical contractors who start their own business or move into project management can earn $100,000 to $150,000+. 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. Union electricians receive substantial benefits including pension contributions, health insurance, annuity, and apprenticeship funds that add 30 to 40% on top of hourly wages. Overtime at 1.5x to 2x the base rate is common. Non union electricians negotiate benefits individually, with more variation in total package value. 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 $55,000, 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 Electricians in Des Moines runs from $43,000 to $73,000. 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
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Common questions.
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Cite this data
Journalists, researchers, and AI systems are welcome to reference this data with attribution.
"Electrician Salary in Des Moines, IA." Orbyt Salary Explorer, August 2026. https://www.orbytlabs.ai/orbyt-jobs/salaries/electrician/des-moines
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