SOC 13-1131 · Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro

Fundraisers Salary in Des Moines, IA

The average salary for fundraisers in Des Moines, Iowa is $68,630 a year ($32.99 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $65,060: half of the 340 people in this job in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 11% less than the U.S. average for this job ($77,200).

$68,630average per year

$32.99 / hourMedian $65,060Take-home ≈ $55,115

  • $49K10th
  • $58K25th
  • $65KMedian
  • $78K75th
  • $93K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

340people in this job
-11%vs U.S. average
#5 of 6Iowa metros
92cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Fundraisers pay range in Des Moines

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $49,230 a year or less, while the top 10% make $92,640 or more. The middle half of fundraisers in Des Moines earn between $58,260 and $77,870.

  • $49K10th
  • $58K25th
  • $65KMedian
  • $78K75th
  • $93K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$68,630$5,719$33.00
Median$65,060$5,422$31.28
Entry level (25th percentile)$58,260$4,855$28.01
Experienced (75th percentile)$77,870$6,489$37.44

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.

Fundraisers pay in Des Moines vs. Iowa and the U.S.

Fundraisers in Des Moines earn 4% less than the Iowa average ($71,680) and 11% less than the U.S. average ($77,200). At the median the gap is -10% against the U.S. median of $72,550.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Des Moines$68,630$65,060$49,230$92,640340
Iowa$71,680$63,930$46,340$104,0401,230
United States$77,200$72,550$46,630$115,820111,040

State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.

Fundraisers salary after taxes in Des Moines

On the average salary of $68,630, a single filer in Des Moines takes home about $55,115 a year, or $4,593 a month and $2,120 every two weeks. Taxes take 20% of gross pay.

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Iowa school district surtaxes (a percentage of state tax in some districts) are not included.

Iowa paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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Is Des Moines a good place for fundraisers? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Des Moines area are 8% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 91.7), so the average $68,630 buys what about $74,841 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.3 times the median wage of all jobs in Des Moines ($51,820). A typical home costs $296,070, or 4.3 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $68,630 is worth in another city

Fundraisers salary in other Iowa cities

Des Moines ranks 5th of 6 Iowa metro areas for this job; Ames pays the most ($80,910).

All Fundraisers salaries in Iowa

Highest-paying cities for fundraisers

San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($103,150).

Fundraisers salary by city

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Fundraisers salary in Des Moines: questions

How much do fundraisers make an hour in Des Moines?

$32.99 an hour on average, and $31.28 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level fundraisers salary in Des Moines?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $49,230 a year and the 25th percentile is $58,260, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the fundraisers take-home pay in Des Moines?

About $55,115 a year ($4,593 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $68,630. Iowa school district surtaxes (a percentage of state tax in some districts) are not included.

Do fundraisers earn more in Des Moines than elsewhere?

The average here is 11% less than the U.S. average for this job ($77,200).

Sources and how to read this page

  • Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 13-1131; area Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA (19780). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 11.8%.
  • U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
  • Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
  • Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
  • Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Iowa school district surtaxes (a percentage of state tax in some districts) are not included.
  • Job concentration: location quotient 1.19, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.

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