Project Manager.
Des Moines.
$90,000
median salary, 11% below the national average
$69,000 to $118,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
Project Manager pay in Des Moines ranges from $69,000 to $118,000 in 2026. The median is $90,000, 11% below the national average. Des Moines is a major insurance and financial services hub, home to Principal Financial, EMC Insurance, and a growing fintech community. Every dollar in that range is negotiable if you come prepared. 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 Project 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 $101,150 for Project Management Specialists (SOC 13-1082) in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metropolitan area, based on 2,640 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$65,760
25th percentile
$80,100
Median
$101,150
75th percentile
$146,820
90th percentile
$150,290
Workers surveyed
2,640
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Project Management Specialists (SOC 13-1082) rather than Project 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 13-1082Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $81,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$59,000
to $72,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$77,000
to $95,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$99,000
to $117,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$113,000
to $140,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $22,000 to the total package.
Base
$90,000
Equity
$12,000
Bonus
$8,000
Signing
$2,000
Estimated total: $112,000
How Des Moines compares.
Des Moines, IA
$90,000
Cost of living: 14% below average
National Average
$101,000
Des Moines is $11,000 below
Project Manager salary by city.
Salary by role in Des Moines.
What you should know.
If you are interviewing for Project Manager roles in Des Moines, here is what you are walking into. 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. Industry, project complexity, and budget size are the primary drivers. IT and construction project managers managing multimillion dollar initiatives earn significantly more than those on smaller engagements. PMP certification adds a measurable premium. Agile coaching experience and program level responsibility also push compensation upward.
Associate project managers start at $60,000 to $80,000, advancing to PM at $90,000 to $125,000 in two to four years. Senior PMs earn $125,000 to $160,000. Program managers reach $150,000 to $200,000, and directors of PMO or VP level roles at large organizations can exceed $220,000. 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. Bonuses of 8 to 15% tied to project delivery milestones are common. Equity is available at tech companies, adding $10,000 to $50,000 annually. Benefits packages often include professional development budgets and certification exam reimbursement for PMP, Scrum Master, and related credentials. 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 $90,000, 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 Project Managers in Des Moines runs from $69,000 to $118,000. 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 Civil Engineer in Des Moines earns $89,000 (1% less)
- The highest-paying role in Des Moines is CTO at $263,000
Common questions.
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Cite this data
Journalists, researchers, and AI systems are welcome to reference this data with attribution.
"Project Manager Salary in Des Moines, IA." Orbyt Salary Explorer, August 2026. https://www.orbytlabs.ai/orbyt-jobs/salaries/project-manager/des-moines
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