How Much Does an NP Make in Des Moines, IA in 2026?
Typical pay for NPs in 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 NP in Des Moines, Iowa earns $63.57 per hour, or $132,230 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $11,019 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $113,470, and the top 10% of earners make over $166,960.
That pay is 2% above the Iowa figure of $130,160 and right at the national figure of $132,300. Des Moines ranks 1st of 8 metro areas in Iowa for NP pay. About 820 NPs work in the Des Moines · West Des Moines area. Des Moines is part of the Des Moines · West Des Moines metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so West Des Moines share these figures.
NP pay in Des Moines at a glance
- Typical pay is $63.57 an hour, or $132,230 a year.
- That is 2% above the Iowa figure, ranking 1st of 8 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $113,470; the top 10% make over $166,960.
- Typical pay rose +42% from 2015 to 2025, against +40% for Iowa as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does an NP make in Des Moines?
Pay in Des Moines runs from entry-level positions at around $54.55 an hour to more than $80.27 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Iowa and national figures.
NP pay by career stage in Des Moines
| Career stage | Des Moines | Iowa | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $113,470$54.55 an hour | $107,990$51.92 an hour | $101,340$48.72 an hour |
| First years | $128,110$61.59 an hour | $122,720$59.00 an hour | $117,990$56.73 an hour |
| Typical NP | $132,230$63.57 an hour | $130,160$62.58 an hour | $132,300$63.61 an hour |
| Experienced | $141,950$68.24 an hour | $141,940$68.24 an hour | $156,700$75.34 an hour |
| Top 10% | $166,960$80.27 an hour | $167,590$80.57 an hour | $174,420$83.86 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Des Moines · West Des Moines area as BLS defines it
NP pay growth in Des Moines
Typical (median) annual wage for NPs 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 NP pay in Des Moines was $93,080 a year. By 2025 it had reached $132,230, a change of +42%, compared with +40% for Iowa over the same years.
How Des Moines compares with other Iowa cities
Des Moines pays NPs the most of any metro area in Iowa. The lowest-paying area in the state is Cedar Falls at $126,330.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Des Moines | NPs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Des Moines metro incl. West Des Moines | $132,230 | $63.57 | this city | 820 |
| 2 | Davenport | $130,400 | $62.69 | -1% | 390 |
| 3 | Cedar Rapids | $129,890 | $62.45 | -2% | 240 |
| 4 | Dubuque | $129,620 | $62.32 | -2% | 130 |
| 5 | Sioux City | $129,060 | $62.05 | -2% | 150 |
| 6 | Iowa City | $129,030 | $62.04 | -2% | 330 |
| 7 | Ames | $127,600 | $61.34 | -4% | 70 |
| 8 | Waterloo metro incl. Cedar Falls | $126,330 | $60.73 | -4% | 260 |
Every metro area in Iowa with NP wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Iowa typical pay $130,160
Is Des Moines a good place to work as an NP?
NP pay in Des Moines sits close to the national figure: $132,230 a year, right at the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Des Moines · West Des Moines area, about 2.0 are NP positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 2.1. NP jobs make up about the same share of the job market as they do across the country.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does an NP make in Des Moines, IA?
- A typical NP in Des Moines earns $132,230 a year, or $63.57 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $113,470 and the top 10% earn over $166,960.
- How much does an NP make an hour in Des Moines?
- Typical hourly pay for NPs in Des Moines is $63.57. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $54.55, and the top 10% earn over $80.27 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for an NP in Des Moines?
- Entry-level NP positions in Des Moines typically offer around $54.55 an hour, or $113,470 a year.
- Is NP pay in Des Moines higher than in the rest of Iowa?
- Des Moines pay is 2% above the Iowa figure of $130,160 a year, ranking 1st of 8 metro areas in the state.