SOC 11-9121 · Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro

Natural Sciences Managers Salary in Des Moines, IA

The average salary for natural sciences managers in Des Moines, Iowa is $136,350 a year ($65.56 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $118,740: half of the people in this job in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 24% less than the U.S. average for this job ($180,250).

$136,350average per year

$65.56 / hourMedian $118,740Take-home ≈ $99,892

  • $75K10th
  • $99K25th
  • $119KMedian
  • $177K75th
  • $207K90th

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

n/apeople in this job
-24%vs U.S. average
#1 of 5Iowa metros
92cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Natural Sciences Managers pay range in Des Moines

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $75,230 a year or less, while the top 10% make $206,950 or more. The middle half of natural sciences managers in Des Moines earn between $99,420 and $176,820.

  • $75K10th
  • $99K25th
  • $119KMedian
  • $177K75th
  • $207K90th

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

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$136,350$11,362$65.55
Median$118,740$9,895$57.09
Entry level (25th percentile)$99,420$8,285$47.80
Experienced (75th percentile)$176,820$14,735$85.01

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

Natural Sciences Managers pay in Des Moines vs. Iowa and the U.S.

Natural sciences managers in Des Moines earn 8% more than the Iowa average ($125,750) and 24% less than the U.S. average ($180,250). At the median the gap is -29% against the U.S. median of $167,220.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Des Moines$136,350$118,740$75,230$206,950n/a
Iowa$125,750$109,760$74,320$200,580610
United States$180,250$167,220$79,710$316,850108,690

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

Natural Sciences Managers salary after taxes in Des Moines

On the average salary of $136,350, a single filer in Des Moines takes home about $99,892 a year, or $8,324 a month and $3,842 every two weeks. Taxes take 27% 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 natural sciences managers? 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 $136,350 buys what about $148,690 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.3 times the median wage of all jobs in Des Moines ($51,820). A typical home costs $296,070, or 2.2 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $136,350 is worth in another city

Natural Sciences Managers salary in other Iowa cities

Des Moines ranks 1st of 5 Iowa metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.

All Natural Sciences Managers salaries in Iowa

Highest-paying cities for natural sciences managers

Boston, MA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($260,090).

Natural Sciences Managers salary by city

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Natural Sciences Managers salary in Des Moines: questions

How much do natural sciences managers make an hour in Des Moines?

$65.56 an hour on average, and $57.09 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level natural sciences managers salary in Des Moines?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $75,230 a year and the 25th percentile is $99,420, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the natural sciences managers take-home pay in Des Moines?

About $99,892 a year ($8,324 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $136,350. Iowa school district surtaxes (a percentage of state tax in some districts) are not included.

Do natural sciences managers earn more in Des Moines than elsewhere?

The average here is 24% less than the U.S. average for this job ($180,250).

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 11-9121; area Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA (19780). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 5.7%.
  • 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.

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