Question

Electrical Engineer Salary in Des Moines

Market ranges & how to evaluate your offer

$0k – $0k/yr

Most offers in Des Moines fall between $0k–$0k depending on seniority, location, and role scope.

Last updated: March 2026Self-reported salaries + labor statisticsDes MoinesConfidence: High
10th
percentile
$0
Median$0
90th
percentile
$0

Local vs National

Des Moines$0k
National Average$0k

Des Moines

Salary data is self-reported and varies by scope, company, and location. Use ranges, not single numbers.

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Offer sanity-check

Compare your total comp for Electrical Engineer — pick seniority, enter an offer, and preview the layout. Percentiles use your selected seniority when market data is available.

Cost of Living in Des Moines, IA

Cost of living breakdown for Des Moines, IA market.

66avg = 100
Below national cost level

Estimated monthly costs for this basket are about 66% of our comparable national baseline—day-to-day spending tends to go further here.

Overall COL Index

HOUSING-10%
National avg (100)
FOOD-55%
National avg (100)
TRANSPORT-86%
National avg (100)
LIFESTYLE-60%
National avg (100)

Monthly cost breakdown

How the estimated monthly cost bundle splits across categories for a typical Electrical Engineer earner.

$1,606.94/ mo

HOUSING

$1,258.16 USD (78.3% of est. monthly costs)

FOOD

$187.58 USD (11.7% of est. monthly costs)

TRANSPORT

$48.00 USD (3.0% of est. monthly costs)

LIFESTYLE

$113.20 USD (7.0% of est. monthly costs)

Housing

-10%

Housing dominates the budget at $1,258 monthly, with a city center one-bedroom apartment averaging $1,006. Basic utilities add $161 and internet runs $68, making housing and utilities account for 78% of total living costs in Des Moines.

Food & dining

-55%

Food costs remain modest at $188 monthly, with restaurant meals averaging $15.50 and grocery staples like milk ($1.06/liter) and eggs ($2.12/dozen) priced well below typical major metro areas. This represents just 12% of the total budget.

Transportation

-86%

Public transit costs $48 monthly for a regular pass, making car-free living quite affordable in this mid-sized Midwest city. The single transit option suggests most professionals likely rely on personal vehicles for daily commutes.

Lifestyle & leisure

-60%

Discretionary spending totals $113 monthly, with gym memberships at $45 and movie tickets at $10.75 offering reasonable entertainment value. At just 7% of the total budget, leisure costs leave substantial room for savings compared to pricier metro areas.

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Remote Pay Bands Explained

Electrical Engineer salaries vary significantly based on location, with companies offering either location-adjusted or national pay bands. Engineers in San Francisco or New York typically earn 20-30% more than those in Austin or Denver, but many firms now offer standardized remote compensation. Location-adjusted models reduce salaries by 15-25% when moving from high-cost metros, while national bands maintain consistent pay regardless of geography.

The trend toward hybrid work has created tiered compensation structures for Electrical Engineers, with full-remote positions often paying 5-10% less than on-site roles due to reduced collaboration requirements. When negotiating remote compensation, emphasize specialized skills like power systems or automation expertise that command premium rates. Many companies offer remote work stipends of $1,000-3,000 annually to offset home office setup costs.

Moving from expensive metros like San Jose ($120K average) to lower-cost areas like Phoenix ($95K average) while maintaining remote work can dramatically improve purchasing power. A $110K remote salary in Nashville provides equivalent buying power to $140K in Seattle, effectively increasing real compensation by 15-20%. Consider total compensation including benefits, equity, and cost of living when evaluating remote opportunities.

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How to Negotiate Your Offer

Practical steps that move the number without damaging the relationship.

Start your ask above the median. You'll rarely be offered more than you ask, so anchor high and let the employer negotiate you down.

Stronger approach:

  • Start your ask above the median
  • You'll rarely be offered more than you ask, so anchor high and let the employer negotiate you down

Say 'market data puts this role at $X–$Y' — not 'I was hoping for more'. External benchmarks are harder to argue against than personal expectations.

Stronger approach:

  • Say 'market data puts this role at $X–$Y' — not 'I was hoping for more'
  • External benchmarks are harder to argue against than personal expectations

When base is stuck, negotiate equity vesting schedule, signing bonus, or accelerated refresh grants. Total comp has more levers than base alone.

Stronger approach:

  • When base is stuck, negotiate equity vesting schedule, signing bonus, or accelerated refresh grants
  • Total comp has more levers than base alone

Ask for 48 hours to review. This creates time to counter and signals that you take offers seriously — not that you are uncertain.

Stronger approach:

  • Ask for 48 hours to review
  • This creates time to counter and signals that you take offers seriously — not that you are uncertain

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Electrical Engineer compensation.

Electrical Engineers typically earn $75,000-$95,000 at entry level, $95,000-$125,000 at mid-level, and $125,000-$165,000+ at senior levels. Specialized areas like power systems or automation command higher premiums.

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