Marketing Manager.
Des Moines.
$83,000
median salary, 13% below the national average
$63,000 to $109,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
If you are evaluating a Marketing Manager offer in Des Moines, IA, here is the reality: $63,000 to $109,000, with $83,000 as the midpoint. 13% below the national average. Specialization matters enormously. 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 Marketing Manager 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 $135,140 for Marketing Managers (SOC 11-2021) in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metropolitan area, based on 950 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$81,220
25th percentile
$108,000
Median
$135,140
75th percentile
$169,640
90th percentile
$214,220
Workers surveyed
950
Why this differs from the estimate above. The Orbyt estimate of $83,000 is 39% lower than this published figure. That is usually not an error in either number: BLS reports by occupation code, and Marketing Managers covers a different population than the Marketing Manager title as it is typically advertised. Both are shown, unreconciled, so you can judge which one describes the job you mean.
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Marketing Managers (SOC 11-2021) rather than Marketing Manager 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 11-2021Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $75,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$54,000
to $66,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$71,000
to $87,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$91,000
to $108,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$104,000
to $129,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $20,000 to the total package.
Base
$83,000
Equity
$11,000
Bonus
$7,000
Signing
$2,000
Estimated total: $103,000
How Des Moines compares.
Des Moines, IA
$83,000
Cost of living: 14% below average
National Average
$95,000
Des Moines is $12,000 below
Marketing Manager salary by city.
Salary by role in Des Moines.
What you should know.
Here is what the Marketing Manager market actually looks like in Des Moines. 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. Specialization matters enormously. Performance marketing managers with proven ROI on paid channels earn more than brand marketers. Industry vertical (B2B SaaS vs. consumer packaged goods), team size, and budget ownership are the other major factors. Managers who control seven figure budgets are compensated accordingly.
Marketing coordinators start at $50,000 to $65,000, advancing to marketing manager at $85,000 to $120,000 in three to five years. Senior marketing managers earn $120,000 to $155,000. Directors reach $155,000 to $200,000, and VPs of Marketing at mid to large companies can exceed $250,000 in total compensation. 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. Bonuses of 10 to 20% tied to campaign performance or revenue targets are standard. Equity is less common outside tech companies but can add $10,000 to $40,000 at startups. Some firms offer profit sharing or commission structures for demand generation roles. 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 $83,000, 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 Marketing Managers in Des Moines runs from $63,000 to $109,000. 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 Systems Administrator in Des Moines earns $81,000 (2% less)
- The highest-paying role in Des Moines is CTO at $263,000
Common questions.
Marketing Manager 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.
"Marketing Manager Salary in Des Moines, IA." Orbyt Salary Explorer, August 2026. https://www.orbytlabs.ai/orbyt-jobs/salaries/marketing-manager/des-moines
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