Optometrist.
Des Moines.
$117,000
median salary, 13% below the national average
$89,000 to $142,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
An Optometrist in Des Moines earns a median of $117,000 in 2026. That is 13% below the national average. The range runs from $89,000 to $142,000, and where you land depends on your experience, your skills, and how well you negotiate. Practice ownership versus employment is the largest income differentiator for optometrists. 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 Optometrist 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 $129,780 for Optometrists (SOC 29-1041) in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metropolitan area, based on 110 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$67,930
25th percentile
$100,910
Median
$129,780
75th percentile
$165,980
90th percentile
$178,320
Workers surveyed
110
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Optometrists (SOC 29-1041) rather than Optometrist 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 29-1041Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $105,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$76,000
to $94,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$99,000
to $123,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$129,000
to $152,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$146,000
to $181,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $25,000 to the total package.
Base
$117,000
Equity
$14,000
Bonus
$9,000
Signing
$2,000
Estimated total: $142,000
How Des Moines compares.
Des Moines, IA
$117,000
Cost of living: 14% below average
National Average
$135,000
Des Moines is $18,000 below
Optometrist salary by city.
Salary by role in Des Moines.
What you should know.
Here is what the Optometrist 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. Practice ownership versus employment is the largest income differentiator for optometrists. States with expanded scope allowing therapeutic procedures and medical management increase earning potential. Optometrists specializing in ocular disease management, specialty contact lenses, or pediatric vision earn above those in routine refraction-only settings.
New associate optometrists start at $105,000 to $120,000 on base plus production models. Experienced ODs with strong patient loyalty earn $130,000 to $155,000 after five to seven years. Practice owners or partners in multi-doctor practices can reach $170,000 to $250,000 depending on revenue and overhead management. 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. Employed optometrists typically receive production bonuses of 15 to 25% above a base salary guarantee. Benefits include vision and health insurance, CE allowances, malpractice coverage, and optical frame discounts. Practice owners retain higher gross income but manage significant 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 $117,000, 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 Optometrists in Des Moines runs from $89,000 to $142,000. 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.
Optometrist salary in other cities.
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Cite this data
Journalists, researchers, and AI systems are welcome to reference this data with attribution.
"Optometrist Salary in Des Moines, IA." Orbyt Salary Explorer, August 2026. https://www.orbytlabs.ai/orbyt-jobs/salaries/optometrist/des-moines
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