CDCareer Decision

Sustainability Specialists Salary in Des Moines, IA

In the 2025 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS dataset, Sustainability Specialists in Des Moines, IA have a median annual salary of $86,540, with 5,130 recorded jobs in this area. Recorded earnings range from $55,890 at the 10th percentile to $138,850 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

$86,540

Data year: 2025

Hourly median

$41.61

Employment

5,130

Source

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS

Salary distribution

$55,890
10th
$73,620
25th
$86,540
Median
$108,230
75th
$138,850
90th

Local compared with national

Des Moines, IA

$86,540

Median annual · 2025

United States

$83,050

Median annual · 2025

The Des Moines, IA median is 4.2% above the national median in the available dataset (a difference of $3,490).

Top skills

  1. 1.Reading ComprehensionImportance 4.0
  2. 2.WritingImportance 4.0
  3. 3.SpeakingImportance 4.0
  4. 4.Active ListeningImportance 3.9
  5. 5.Critical ThinkingImportance 3.9
  6. 6.Complex Problem SolvingImportance 3.6
  7. 7.Judgment and Decision MakingImportance 3.6
  8. 8.MonitoringImportance 3.5
  9. 9.Active LearningImportance 3.3
  10. 10.CoordinationImportance 3.3
  11. 11.Systems EvaluationImportance 3.3
  12. 12.Learning StrategiesImportance 3.1

Career information

Education and experience

Typical education
Bachelor's Degree
Experience
Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years
Job zone
4

Technology used

  • Adobe Acrobat
  • Adobe Creative Cloud software
  • Adobe Illustrator
  • Adobe InDesign
  • Adobe Photoshop
  • Autodesk AutoCAD
  • Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D
  • Autodesk Revit
  • Bentley MicroStation
  • Esri ArcGIS
  • Extensible markup language XML
  • Geographic information system GIS software
  • Google Analytics
  • Inventory management systems
  • JavaScript

Common tasks

  • Develop sustainability project goals, objectives, initiatives, or strategies in collaboration with other sustainability professionals.
  • Monitor or track sustainability indicators, such as energy usage, natural resource usage, waste generation, and recycling.
  • Assess or propose sustainability initiatives, considering factors such as cost effectiveness, technical feasibility, and acceptance.
  • Provide technical or administrative support for sustainability programs or issues.
  • Review and revise sustainability proposals or policies.
  • Develop reports or presentations to communicate the effectiveness of sustainability initiatives.
  • Create or maintain plans or other documents related to sustainability projects.
  • Collect information about waste stream management or green building practices to inform decision makers.
  • Research or review regulatory, technical, or market issues related to sustainability.
  • Identify or investigate violations of natural resources, waste management, recycling, or other environmental policies.

Related careers

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

Sustainability Specialists salary in other locations

Other occupations in Des Moines, IA