Highest-paying management jobs in Des Moines

Written by:
January 6, 2023
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Highest-paying management jobs in Des Moines

Not everyone has what it takes to be a manager in today's workplace, and those who do tend to be well compensated.

Workers today are split on how they want to interact with their jobs. Half of workers want to blend their work and their personal lives, while the other roughly 50% prefer to keep them separate, according to Gallup polling. The lion's share want more flexibility in where they perform their work—at a time when businesses may have to buckle in for tougher economic conditions in the year ahead.

Whether overseeing a sales team or leading a commercial building project, these are the challenges that get management professionals out of bed in the morning.

Stacker compiled a list of the highest-paying management jobs in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs are ranked by 2021 annual mean wage. Jobs the BLS lists as "management occupations" were included.

#30. Education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare

Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
- Annual mean salary: $47,440
- #172 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 290

National
- Annual mean salary: $53,800
- Employment: 56,430
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($74,390)
--- Vineland-Bridgeton, NJ ($73,080)
--- Napa, CA ($70,330)

#29. Lodging managers

Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
- Annual mean salary: $53,590
- #182 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $67,770
- Employment: 35,920
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($121,090)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($111,410)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($99,600)

#28. Property, real estate, and community association managers

Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
- Annual mean salary: $58,260
- #247 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 700

National
- Annual mean salary: $70,030
- Employment: 234,680
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($109,540)
--- Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO ($106,420)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($103,610)

#27. Social and community service managers

Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
- Annual mean salary: $63,700
- #360 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 640

National
- Annual mean salary: $76,790
- Employment: 156,400
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($100,530)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($98,240)
--- Charlottesville, VA ($98,200)

#26. Food service managers

Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
- Annual mean salary: $64,570
- #120 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300

National
- Annual mean salary: $63,970
- Employment: 210,680
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Trenton, NJ ($91,320)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($89,860)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($87,750)

#25. Entertainment and recreation managers, except gambling

Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
- Annual mean salary: $67,140
- #56 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110

National
- Annual mean salary: $73,810
- Employment: 17,800
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Boulder, CO ($108,680)
--- Lexington-Fayette, KY ($108,430)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($105,390)

#24. Emergency management directors

Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
- Annual mean salary: $73,780
- #51 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30

National
- Annual mean salary: $84,800
- Employment: 10,320
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($142,000)
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($124,780)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($123,170)

#23. Facilities managers

Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
- Annual mean salary: $84,450
- #316 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 380

National
- Annual mean salary: $101,970
- Employment: 101,230
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kennewick-Richland, WA ($146,040)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($136,440)
--- Ithaca, NY ($136,210)

#22. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
- Annual mean salary: $87,720
- #312 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 380

National
- Annual mean salary: $105,580
- Employment: 144,640
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($159,890)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($154,170)
--- Trenton, NJ ($144,620)

#21. Advertising and promotions managers

Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
- Annual mean salary: $92,310
- #60 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70

National
- Annual mean salary: $142,860
- Employment: 22,520
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Trenton, NJ ($193,980)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($182,520)
--- Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO ($166,620)

#20. Construction managers

Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
- Annual mean salary: $97,370
- #230 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 690

National
- Annual mean salary: $108,210
- Employment: 284,750
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Anchorage, AK ($160,710)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($149,050)
--- Napa, CA ($145,430)

#19. Education administrators, postsecondary

Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
- Annual mean salary: $98,560
- #160 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 290

National
- Annual mean salary: $111,260
- Employment: 155,990
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Corvallis, OR ($178,570)
--- Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC ($165,940)
--- Syracuse, NY ($164,660)

#18. Medical and health services managers

Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
- Annual mean salary: $98,800
- #373 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,240

National
- Annual mean salary: $119,840
- Employment: 436,770
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($162,110)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($157,340)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($156,370)

#17. General and operations managers

Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
- Annual mean salary: $101,310
- #236 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 8,180

National
- Annual mean salary: $115,250
- Employment: 2,984,920
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($165,340)
--- Trenton, NJ ($165,030)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($159,210)

#16. Industrial production managers

Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
- Annual mean salary: $102,080
- #371 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 410

National
- Annual mean salary: $117,780
- Employment: 192,270
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($155,640)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($153,860)
--- Fort Collins, CO ($153,470)

#15. Natural sciences managers

Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
- Annual mean salary: $108,700
- #134 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250

National
- Annual mean salary: $156,110
- Employment: 74,760
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($222,360)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($219,240)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($216,750)

#14. Training and development managers

Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
- Annual mean salary: $110,570
- #74 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120

National
- Annual mean salary: $128,800
- Employment: 35,830
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($180,360)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($176,270)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($166,410)

#13. Compensation and benefits managers

Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
- Annual mean salary: $111,530
- #59 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $139,470
- Employment: 15,330
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($190,560)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($187,770)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($177,130)

#12. Administrative services managers

Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
- Annual mean salary: $111,900
- #87 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 310

National
- Annual mean salary: $113,030
- Employment: 224,620
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($149,360)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($142,650)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($141,950)

#11. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary

Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
- Annual mean salary: $113,160
- #70 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 680

National
- Annual mean salary: $102,650
- Employment: 274,710
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($144,880)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($143,450)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($142,330)

#10. Fundraising managers

Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
- Annual mean salary: $115,820
- #39 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80

National
- Annual mean salary: $119,400
- Employment: 23,190
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($175,610)
--- Syracuse, NY ($155,700)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($153,980)

#9. Purchasing managers

Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
- Annual mean salary: $117,230
- #133 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110

National
- Annual mean salary: $134,590
- Employment: 69,310
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Trenton, NJ ($181,030)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($177,010)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($174,760)

#8. Public relations managers

Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
- Annual mean salary: $123,590
- #65 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200

National
- Annual mean salary: $138,000
- Employment: 59,850
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($183,410)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($182,890)
--- Boulder, CO ($174,250)

#7. Human resources managers

Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
- Annual mean salary: $128,320
- #86 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 380

National
- Annual mean salary: $136,590
- Employment: 166,530
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($190,020)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($186,930)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($175,410)

#6. Sales managers

Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
- Annual mean salary: $128,450
- #144 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 910

National
- Annual mean salary: $142,390
- Employment: 453,800
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($198,960)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($196,910)
--- Boulder, CO ($182,820)

#5. Marketing managers

Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
- Annual mean salary: $132,880
- #139 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 770

National
- Annual mean salary: $153,440
- Employment: 278,690
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($210,280)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($198,870)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($191,310)

#4. Architectural and engineering managers

Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
- Annual mean salary: $135,990
- #236 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 330

National
- Annual mean salary: $158,970
- Employment: 187,100
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($228,000)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($206,050)
--- Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL ($198,430)

#3. Computer and information systems managers

Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
- Annual mean salary: $139,270
- #129 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,600

National
- Annual mean salary: $162,930
- Employment: 485,190
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($228,030)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($211,470)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($202,800)

#2. Financial managers

Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
- Annual mean salary: $140,530
- #99 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,800

National
- Annual mean salary: $153,460
- Employment: 681,070
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($209,100)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($201,330)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($188,900)

#1. Chief executives

Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
- Annual mean salary: $218,280
- #105 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,220

National
- Annual mean salary: $213,020
- Employment: 200,480
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($313,440)
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($298,960)
--- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX ($296,480)

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