Physician salary in Des Moines, IA
Based on 19 certified H-1B filings in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Urbandale, West Des Moines.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $239,200 |
| 25th | $252,000 |
| 50th (median) | $276,000 |
| 75th | $336,468 |
| 90th | $343,763 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $220,000 | $175,000 | $305,000 | 11 |
| FY2021 | – | – | – | 9 |
| FY2022 | $239,400 | $208,000 | $260,250 | 16 |
| FY2023 | – | – | – | 8 |
| FY2024 | $244,336 | $239,200 | $277,222 | 13 |
| FY2025 | $270,840 | $243,150 | $320,815 | 14 |
| FY2026 | – | – | – | 5 |
Cost of living
Des Moines's median Physician salary of $276,000 is worth about $301,000 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Des Moines = 91.7).
Compared with all workers here
All Physicians, All Other in the Des Moines, IA area earned a median of $239,200+ in May 2025 (460 employed). The H-1B median here is $276,000, 11% lower.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Top employers filing
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Mercy Clinics | too few | 6 |
| Iowa Physicians Clinic Medical Foundation | too few | 5 |
| Central Iowa Hospital | too few | 4 |
| Iowa Kidney Physicians, P.C. | too few | 3 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | – | 0 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $273,333 | 15 |
| Senior · Level III | – | 0 |
| Expert · Level IV | – | 0 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Minimum H-1B salary by level
| Wage level | Prevailing wage (most common) | Median offered salary | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mid-level · Level II | $74,464 | $273,333 | 15 |
The prevailing wage is the minimum an employer must pay for this job and area. Amounts vary by county within a metro and by wage source.