Insurance Agent.
Des Moines.
$48,000
median salary, 14% below the national average
$36,000 to $65,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
If you are evaluating an Insurance Agent offer in Des Moines, IA, here is the reality: $36,000 to $65,000, with $48,000 as the midpoint. 14% below the national average. Line of business and whether the agent is captive or independent create the biggest pay differences. Do not accept the first number. 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 Insurance Agent 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 $61,140 for Insurance Sales Agents (SOC 41-3021) in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metropolitan area, based on 2,940 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$27,620
25th percentile
$45,650
Median
$61,140
75th percentile
$98,910
90th percentile
$128,510
Workers surveyed
2,940
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Insurance Sales Agents (SOC 41-3021) rather than Insurance Agent 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 41-3021Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $43,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$31,000
to $38,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$41,000
to $50,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$53,000
to $62,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$60,000
to $74,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $10,000 to the total package.
Base
$48,000
Equity
$5,000
Bonus
$4,000
Signing
$1,000
Estimated total: $58,000
How Des Moines compares.
Des Moines, IA
$48,000
Cost of living: 14% below average
National Average
$56,000
Des Moines is $8,000 below
Insurance Agent salary by city.
Salary by role in Des Moines.
What you should know.
The Insurance Agent 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. Line of business and whether the agent is captive or independent create the biggest pay differences. Commercial lines agents earn 15 to 25% more than personal lines agents. Independent agents with diversified carrier access often outearn captive agents long-term, though captive agents benefit from higher initial base salaries.
Junior insurance agents start at $38,000 to $48,000, often with salary subsidies during the ramp period. Experienced agents earn $55,000 to $80,000. Senior agents with large books of business reach $80,000 to $120,000. Agency owners and top producers can exceed $150,000 to $250,000. 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. Commission income varies dramatically. New business commissions range from 10 to 20% of first-year premium, with renewal commissions of 3 to 8%. Captive agents receive base salary plus reduced commissions, while independent agents earn higher commissions but cover their own overhead. 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 $48,000, 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 Insurance Agents in Des Moines runs from $36,000 to $65,000. 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
Common questions.
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Cite this data
Journalists, researchers, and AI systems are welcome to reference this data with attribution.
"Insurance Agent Salary in Des Moines, IA." Orbyt Salary Explorer, August 2026. https://www.orbytlabs.ai/orbyt-jobs/salaries/insurance-agent/des-moines
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