How Much Does an LPN Make in West Des Moines, IA in 2026?
Typical pay for LPNs in West Des Moines, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Iowa.
BLS OES May 2025 · Des Moines · West Des Moines metro area
A typical LPN in West Des Moines, Iowa earns $30.61 per hour, or $63,670 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $5,306 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $51,970, and the top 10% of earners make over $78,410.
That pay is 2% above the Iowa figure of $62,630 and 1% below the national figure of $64,400. West Des Moines ranks 5th of 8 metro areas in Iowa for LPN pay. About 1,040 LPNs work in the Des Moines · West Des Moines area. West Des Moines is part of the Des Moines · West Des Moines metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Des Moines share these figures.
LPN pay in West Des Moines at a glance
- Typical pay is $30.61 an hour, or $63,670 a year.
- That is 2% above the Iowa figure, ranking 5th of 8 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $51,970; the top 10% make over $78,410.
- Typical pay rose +50% from 2015 to 2025, against +60% for Iowa as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does an LPN make in West Des Moines?
Pay in West Des Moines runs from entry-level positions at around $24.99 an hour to more than $37.70 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Iowa and national figures.
LPN pay by career stage in West Des Moines
| Career stage | West Des Moines | Iowa | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $51,970$24.99 an hour | $50,550$24.30 an hour | $49,740$23.91 an hour |
| First years | $58,500$28.13 an hour | $56,400$27.12 an hour | $59,000$28.37 an hour |
| Typical LPN | $63,670$30.61 an hour | $62,630$30.11 an hour | $64,400$30.96 an hour |
| Experienced | $74,350$35.75 an hour | $70,840$34.06 an hour | $76,030$36.55 an hour |
| Top 10% | $78,410$37.70 an hour | $77,710$37.36 an hour | $83,440$40.12 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Des Moines · West Des Moines area as BLS defines it
LPN pay growth in West Des Moines
Typical (median) annual wage for LPNs in the Des Moines · West Des Moines area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical LPN pay in West Des Moines was $42,570 a year. By 2025 it had reached $63,670, a change of +50%, compared with +60% for Iowa over the same years.
How West Des Moines compares with other Iowa cities
Ames pays LPNs the most in Iowa at $65,610 a year, $1,940 more than West Des Moines. The lowest-paying area in the state is Cedar Falls at $59,950.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs West Des Moines | LPNs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ames | $65,610 | $31.55 | +3% | 190 |
| 2 | Davenport | $64,100 | $30.82 | +1% | 640 |
| 3 | Dubuque | $63,750 | $30.65 | 0% | 200 |
| 4 | Iowa City | $63,690 | $30.62 | 0% | 230 |
| 5 | West Des Moines metro incl. Des Moines | $63,670 | $30.61 | this city | 1,040 |
| 6 | Cedar Rapids | $61,840 | $29.73 | -3% | 380 |
| 7 | Sioux City | $60,440 | $29.06 | -5% | 260 |
| 8 | Waterloo metro incl. Cedar Falls | $59,950 | $28.82 | -6% | 360 |
Every metro area in Iowa with LPN wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Iowa typical pay $62,630
Is West Des Moines a good place to work as an LPN?
LPN pay in West Des Moines sits close to the national figure: $63,670 a year, 1% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Des Moines · West Des Moines area, about 2.6 are LPN positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 4.2. That makes LPNs a smaller part of the local job market than usual, so employers draw from a smaller pool of qualified candidates.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does an LPN make in West Des Moines, IA?
- A typical LPN in West Des Moines earns $63,670 a year, or $30.61 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $51,970 and the top 10% earn over $78,410.
- How much does an LPN make an hour in West Des Moines?
- Typical hourly pay for LPNs in West Des Moines is $30.61. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $24.99, and the top 10% earn over $37.70 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for an LPN in West Des Moines?
- Entry-level LPN positions in West Des Moines typically offer around $24.99 an hour, or $51,970 a year.
- Is LPN pay in West Des Moines higher than in the rest of Iowa?
- West Des Moines pay is 2% above the Iowa figure of $62,630 a year, ranking 5th of 8 metro areas in the state. Ames pays the most in Iowa at $65,610.