How Much Does a Physician Assistant Make in Des Moines, IA in 2026?
Typical pay for Physician Assistants 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 Physician Assistant in Des Moines, Iowa earns $64.34 per hour, or $133,830 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $11,153 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $99,990, and the top 10% of earners make over $188,860.
That pay is 1% below the Iowa figure of $134,770 and 2% below the national figure of $135,880. Des Moines ranks 3rd of 7 metro areas in Iowa for Physician Assistant pay. About 340 Physician Assistants 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.
Physician Assistant pay in Des Moines at a glance
- Typical pay is $64.34 an hour, or $133,830 a year.
- That is 1% below the Iowa figure, ranking 3rd of 7 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $99,990; the top 10% make over $188,860.
- Typical pay rose +41% from 2015 to 2025, against +41% for Iowa as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Physician Assistant make in Des Moines?
Pay in Des Moines runs from entry-level positions at around $48.07 an hour to more than $90.80 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Iowa and national figures.
Physician Assistant pay by career stage in Des Moines
| Career stage | Des Moines | Iowa | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $99,990$48.07 an hour | $102,330$49.20 an hour | $99,380$47.78 an hour |
| First years | $114,530$55.06 an hour | $120,060$57.72 an hour | $120,670$58.02 an hour |
| Typical Physician Assistant | $133,830$64.34 an hour | $134,770$64.79 an hour | $135,880$65.33 an hour |
| Experienced | $158,740$76.32 an hour | $159,950$76.90 an hour | $163,980$78.84 an hour |
| Top 10% | $188,860$90.80 an hour | $182,940$87.95 an hour | $190,280$91.48 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Des Moines · West Des Moines area as BLS defines it
Physician Assistant pay growth in Des Moines
Typical (median) annual wage for Physician Assistants 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 Physician Assistant pay in Des Moines was $94,590 a year. By 2025 it had reached $133,830, a change of +41%, compared with +41% for Iowa over the same years.
How Des Moines compares with other Iowa cities
Davenport pays Physician Assistants the most in Iowa at $137,420 a year, $3,590 more than Des Moines. The lowest-paying area in the state is Dubuque at $126,050.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Des Moines | Physician Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Davenport | $137,420 | $66.07 | +3% | 110 |
| 2 | Iowa City | $134,770 | $64.79 | +1% | 230 |
| 3 | Des Moines metro incl. West Des Moines | $133,830 | $64.34 | this city | 340 |
| 4 | Cedar Falls metro incl. Waterloo | $132,880 | $63.89 | -1% | 60 |
| 5 | Sioux City | $130,970 | $62.97 | -2% | 70 |
| 6 | Cedar Rapids | $129,680 | $62.35 | -3% | 80 |
| 7 | Dubuque | $126,050 | $60.60 | -6% | 40 |
Every metro area in Iowa with Physician Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Iowa typical pay $134,770
Is Des Moines a good place to work as a Physician Assistant?
Physician Assistant pay in Des Moines sits close to the national figure: $133,830 a year, 2% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Des Moines · West Des Moines area, about 0.8 are Physician Assistant positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 1.1. That makes Physician Assistants 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 a Physician Assistant make in Des Moines, IA?
- A typical Physician Assistant in Des Moines earns $133,830 a year, or $64.34 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $99,990 and the top 10% earn over $188,860.
- How much does a Physician Assistant make an hour in Des Moines?
- Typical hourly pay for Physician Assistants in Des Moines is $64.34. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $48.07, and the top 10% earn over $90.80 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Physician Assistant in Des Moines?
- Entry-level Physician Assistant positions in Des Moines typically offer around $48.07 an hour, or $99,990 a year.
- Is Physician Assistant pay in Des Moines higher than in the rest of Iowa?
- Des Moines pay is 1% below the Iowa figure of $134,770 a year, ranking 3rd of 7 metro areas in the state. Davenport pays the most in Iowa at $137,420.