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Economists Salary in Des Moines, IA

In the 2025 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS dataset, Economists in Des Moines, IA have a median annual salary of $96,310, with 40 recorded jobs in this area. Recorded earnings range from $64,200 at the 10th percentile to $147,860 at the 90th percentile.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · Data year: 2025 · Last updated: 2026-09-22

Salary overview

Median annual salary

$96,310

Data year: 2025

Hourly median

$46.30

Employment

40

Source

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS

Salary distribution

$64,200
10th
$64,210
25th
$96,310
Median
$144,750
75th
$147,860
90th

Local compared with national

Des Moines, IA

$96,310

Median annual · 2025

United States

$124,720

Median annual · 2025

The Des Moines, IA median is 22.8% below the national median in the available dataset (a difference of $28,410).

Top skills

  1. 1.Reading ComprehensionImportance 4.1
  2. 2.MathematicsImportance 4.1
  3. 3.Critical ThinkingImportance 4.1
  4. 4.Active ListeningImportance 4.0
  5. 5.WritingImportance 4.0
  6. 6.SpeakingImportance 4.0
  7. 7.Judgment and Decision MakingImportance 4.0
  8. 8.Active LearningImportance 3.8
  9. 9.Complex Problem SolvingImportance 3.8
  10. 10.InstructingImportance 3.3
  11. 11.Systems EvaluationImportance 3.3
  12. 12.Learning StrategiesImportance 3.1

Career information

Education and experience

Typical education
Master's Degree
Experience
None
Job zone
5

Technology used

  • Formula translation/translator FORTRAN
  • Global Insight AREMOS
  • IBM Lotus 1-2-3
  • IBM SPSS Statistics
  • Insightful S-PLUS
  • LaTeX
  • MacKichan Software Scientific Notebook
  • Maplesoft Maple
  • Mathsoft Mathcad
  • MediaWiki
  • Microsoft Access
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft Outlook

Common tasks

  • Study economic and statistical data in area of specialization, such as finance, labor, or agriculture.
  • Compile, analyze, and report data to explain economic phenomena and forecast market trends, applying mathematical models and statistical techniques.
  • Study the socioeconomic impacts of new public policies, such as proposed legislation, taxes, services, and regulations.
  • Explain economic impact of policies to the public.
  • Review documents written by others.
  • Provide advice and consultation on economic relationships to businesses, public and private agencies, and other employers.
  • Formulate recommendations, policies, or plans to solve economic problems or to interpret markets.
  • Supervise research projects and students' study projects.
  • Conduct research on economic issues, and disseminate research findings through technical reports or scientific articles in journals.
  • Develop economic guidelines and standards, and prepare points of view used in forecasting trends and formulating economic policy.

Related careers

Occupations recorded as related in the dataset. A relationship does not imply a guaranteed transition.

Economists salary in other locations

Other occupations in Des Moines, IA