Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA · CBSA 19780
Civil Engineer Salary in Des Moines
VerifiedPublished metro-area wages for civil engineers in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA, from the BLS OEWS May 2024 release — with the local distribution set against Iowa and the national benchmark.
Civil Engineers in Des Moines earn a median of $96,440 per year, per BLS OEWS May 2024. The middle 50% earn $77,340–$111,080; the top 10% earn $134,920. That is 3% below the national median and 2% above the Iowa median. BLS reports 780 employed locally.
Median wage
Verified$96,440
-3% vs national
Top 10% earn
$134,920
90th percentile
Employed in metro
780
Reliability Good (8.7% RSE)
Civil Engineer pay — Des Moines vs Iowa vs national
All three distributions are published BLS percentiles on a single shared scale.
| Percentile | Annual wage | vs national |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentileentry / low | $64,620 | -2% |
| 25th percentile | $77,340 | -2% |
| Median50th percentile | $96,440 | -3% |
| 75th percentile | $111,080 | -13% |
| 90th percentiletop earners | $134,920 | -16% |
| Meanaverage | $97,420 | -9% |
How concentrated civil engineers are in Des Moines
Location quotient compares local concentration to the national rate. Above 1.00 means this metro employs the occupation more densely than the country overall.
Location quotient
0.83
Jobs per 1,000
1.92
Metro rank (pay)
#162 of 373
All engineering roles
$114,366
Des Moines employs civil engineers at close to the national rate (location quotient 0.83).
Frequently asked questions
How much does a civil engineer make in Des Moines?
Does Des Moines pay more than the rest of Iowa?
Where does Des Moines rank nationally for civil engineers?
Source details
Published wage from BLS OEWS May 2024 for SOC 17-2051 (Civil Engineers), Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA (metro area).
Benchmarks come from published government wage data via BLS OEWS. Local and emerging-role figures are labeled estimates. Full methodology →