sabthai // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Budget analysts
- Median annual wage: $88,720
- Median hourly wage: $42.66
- Total employment: 200 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Des Moines that require a bachelor's degree
Between rising tuition and a tight job market, getting a bachelor's degree is an increasingly daunting prospect these days. Per a May 2024 Pew Research Center survey, just 1 in 4 adults believe a college degree is necessary to secure a high-paying job.
Many second-guess the value of college because of the cost. For the 2024-2025 school year, annual tuition and fees averaged more than $11,600 at in-state public universities, a nearly 3% increase from the previous year. Tuition at private schools increased by roughly 4% in the same time period.
Besides financial concerns, there are career opportunities to consider. Though the job market in the United States shifts from month to month, the unemployment rate for recent college graduates aged 22 to 27 reached 5.8% in March 2025, according to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. For context, that's more than double the unemployment rate of all college graduates.
These factors all contribute to the belief that college may not be the answer for everyone. However, research shows that a bachelor's degree still pays off in the long run. As of 2024, the most recent year with available data, the $60,000 median salary for a recent college graduate is $20,000 more than the median earnings for someone with only a high school diploma.
Although high school grads can make a decent salary without taking on student loan debt, lifetime earnings range between $630,000 and $900,000 more for those with a bachelor's degree. Graduate degree holders, meanwhile, may earn $1.1 million to $1.5 million more than high school graduates.
With this in mind, many different jobs make a degree worth the cost of tuition. Stacker ranked the highest-paying jobs that require a bachelor's degree in Des Moines, using annual compensation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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2 / 50#49. Personal financial advisors
- Median annual wage: $90,290
- Median hourly wage: $43.41
- Total employment: 1,020 people (2.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Architects, except landscape and naval
- Median annual wage: $90,520
- Median hourly wage: $43.52
- Total employment: 370 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rido // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Social workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $90,670
- Median hourly wage: $43.59
- Total employment: 100 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Biological scientists, all other
- Median annual wage: $91,710
- Median hourly wage: $44.09
- Total employment: 140 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Software quality assurance analysts and testers
- Median annual wage: $91,990
- Median hourly wage: $44.23
- Total employment: Not available
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Environmental engineers
- Median annual wage: $92,160
- Median hourly wage: $44.31
- Total employment: 110 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Education administrators, all other
- Median annual wage: $93,040
- Median hourly wage: $44.73
- Total employment: 110 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PIYAWAT WONGOPASS // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Computer programmers
- Median annual wage: $93,060
- Median hourly wage: $44.74
- Total employment: 430 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Project management specialists
- Median annual wage: $93,440
- Median hourly wage: $44.92
- Total employment: 2,350 people (5.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $93,750
- Median hourly wage: $45.07
- Total employment: 9,080 people (22.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Undrey // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Financial and investment analysts
- Median annual wage: $95,850
- Median hourly wage: $46.08
- Total employment: 1,290 people (3.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Civil engineers
- Median annual wage: $96,440
- Median hourly wage: $46.36
- Total employment: 780 people (1.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
comzeal images // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Loan officers
- Median annual wage: $97,000
- Median hourly wage: $46.64
- Total employment: 1,050 people (2.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $98,040
- Median hourly wage: $47.13
- Total employment: 260 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Computer systems analysts
- Median annual wage: $98,990
- Median hourly wage: $47.59
- Total employment: 2,520 people (6.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $99,410
- Median hourly wage: $47.79
- Total employment: 780 people (1.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PanuShot // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Advertising and promotions managers
- Median annual wage: $99,560
- Median hourly wage: $47.87
- Total employment: 60 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
THICHA SATAPITANON // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Financial risk specialists
- Median annual wage: $100,210
- Median hourly wage: $48.18
- Total employment: 220 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Industrial engineers
- Median annual wage: $100,440
- Median hourly wage: $48.29
- Total employment: 700 people (1.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Fundraising managers
- Median annual wage: $100,570
- Median hourly wage: $48.35
- Total employment: 100 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Facilities managers
- Median annual wage: $100,650
- Median hourly wage: $48.39
- Total employment: 460 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chaay_Tee // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Data scientists
- Median annual wage: $102,030
- Median hourly wage: $49.05
- Total employment: 1,320 people (3.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VE.Studio // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $102,880
- Median hourly wage: $49.46
- Total employment: Not available
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Training and development managers
- Median annual wage: $103,180
- Median hourly wage: $49.61
- Total employment: 120 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $103,370
- Median hourly wage: $49.70
- Total employment: 1,450 people (3.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $105,220
- Median hourly wage: $50.59
- Total employment: 520 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
N.Z.Photography // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Computer occupations, all other
- Median annual wage: $108,040
- Median hourly wage: $51.94
- Total employment: 1,830 people (4.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
TaLaNoVa // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Sales engineers
- Median annual wage: $110,190
- Median hourly wage: $52.98
- Total employment: 120 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $110,350
- Median hourly wage: $53.05
- Total employment: 380 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 50#20. Public relations managers
- Median annual wage: $114,970
- Median hourly wage: $55.27
- Total employment: 220 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BalanceFormCreative // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Information security analysts
- Median annual wage: $117,380
- Median hourly wage: $56.43
- Total employment: 700 people (1.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $119,060
- Median hourly wage: $57.24
- Total employment: 190 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $119,170
- Median hourly wage: $57.30
- Total employment: 670 people (1.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Database administrators
- Median annual wage: $121,990
- Median hourly wage: $58.65
- Total employment: 140 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $123,030
- Median hourly wage: $59.15
- Total employment: 910 people (2.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
creativemarc // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $123,190
- Median hourly wage: $59.23
- Total employment: 490 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $124,630
- Median hourly wage: $59.92
- Total employment: 4,750 people (11.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Compensation and benefits managers
- Median annual wage: $125,100
- Median hourly wage: $60.14
- Total employment: 70 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Actuaries
- Median annual wage: $131,460
- Median hourly wage: $63.20
- Total employment: 520 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Database architects
- Median annual wage: $131,900
- Median hourly wage: $63.41
- Total employment: 170 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $132,370
- Median hourly wage: $63.64
- Total employment: 1,040 people (2.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $134,170
- Median hourly wage: $64.50
- Total employment: 970 people (2.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $134,310
- Median hourly wage: $64.57
- Total employment: 300 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $137,350
- Median hourly wage: $66.04
- Total employment: 570 people (1.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $139,520
- Median hourly wage: $67.08
- Total employment: 1,350 people (3.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $143,600
- Median hourly wage: $69.04
- Total employment: 4,090 people (10.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $147,160
- Median hourly wage: $70.75
- Total employment: 1,910 people (4.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: $213,620
- Median hourly wage: $102.70
- Total employment: 1,080 people (2.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
YAKOBCHUK VIACHESLAV // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers
- Median annual wage: $222,700
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 50 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jill Jaracz, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 364 metros.
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