How Much Does a Pharmacy Tech Make in Des Moines, IA in 2026?
Typical pay for Pharmacy Techs 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 Pharmacy Tech in Des Moines, Iowa earns $22.41 per hour, or $46,620 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $3,885 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $36,580, and the top 10% of earners make over $54,770.
That pay is 4% above the Iowa figure of $44,860 and 2% above the national figure of $45,750. Des Moines ranks 1st of 8 metro areas in Iowa for Pharmacy Tech pay. About 1,160 Pharmacy Techs 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.
Pharmacy Tech pay in Des Moines at a glance
- Typical pay is $22.41 an hour, or $46,620 a year.
- That is 4% above the Iowa figure, ranking 1st of 8 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $36,580; the top 10% make over $54,770.
- Typical pay rose +58% from 2015 to 2025, against +56% for Iowa as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Pharmacy Tech make in Des Moines?
Pay in Des Moines runs from entry-level positions at around $17.59 an hour to more than $26.33 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Iowa and national figures.
Pharmacy Tech pay by career stage in Des Moines
| Career stage | Des Moines | Iowa | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $36,580$17.59 an hour | $36,140$17.38 an hour | $36,020$17.32 an hour |
| First years | $38,930$18.72 an hour | $37,790$18.17 an hour | $37,850$18.20 an hour |
| Typical Pharmacy Tech | $46,620$22.41 an hour | $44,860$21.57 an hour | $45,750$22.00 an hour |
| Experienced | $49,420$23.76 an hour | $48,670$23.40 an hour | $49,990$24.04 an hour |
| Top 10% | $54,770$26.33 an hour | $52,150$25.07 an hour | $61,040$29.35 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Des Moines · West Des Moines area as BLS defines it
Pharmacy Tech pay growth in Des Moines
Typical (median) annual wage for Pharmacy Techs 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 Pharmacy Tech pay in Des Moines was $29,510 a year. By 2025 it had reached $46,620, a change of +58%, compared with +56% for Iowa over the same years.
How Des Moines compares with other Iowa cities
Des Moines pays Pharmacy Techs the most of any metro area in Iowa. The lowest-paying area in the state is Ames at $39,310.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Des Moines | Pharmacy Techs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Des Moines metro incl. West Des Moines | $46,620 | $22.41 | this city | 1,160 |
| 2 | Dubuque | $45,100 | $21.69 | -3% | 250 |
| 3 | Davenport | $45,080 | $21.67 | -3% | 550 |
| 4 | Cedar Rapids | $43,930 | $21.12 | -6% | 390 |
| 5 | Sioux City | $43,820 | $21.07 | -6% | 210 |
| 6 | Iowa City | $43,500 | $20.91 | -7% | 460 |
| 7 | Cedar Falls metro incl. Waterloo | $40,950 | $19.69 | -12% | 270 |
| 8 | Ames | $39,310 | $18.90 | -16% | 140 |
Every metro area in Iowa with Pharmacy Tech wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Iowa typical pay $44,860
Is Des Moines a good place to work as a Pharmacy Tech?
Pharmacy Tech pay in Des Moines sits close to the national figure: $46,620 a year, 2% above the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Des Moines · West Des Moines area, about 2.9 are Pharmacy Tech positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 3.0. Pharmacy Tech jobs make up about the same share of the job market as they do across the country.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Pharmacy Tech make in Des Moines, IA?
- A typical Pharmacy Tech in Des Moines earns $46,620 a year, or $22.41 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $36,580 and the top 10% earn over $54,770.
- How much does a Pharmacy Tech make an hour in Des Moines?
- Typical hourly pay for Pharmacy Techs in Des Moines is $22.41. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $17.59, and the top 10% earn over $26.33 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Pharmacy Tech in Des Moines?
- Entry-level Pharmacy Tech positions in Des Moines typically offer around $17.59 an hour, or $36,580 a year.
- Is Pharmacy Tech pay in Des Moines higher than in the rest of Iowa?
- Des Moines pay is 4% above the Iowa figure of $44,860 a year, ranking 1st of 8 metro areas in the state.