Commercial Pilots pay range in Des Moines
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $81,270 a year or less, while the top 10% make $206,390 or more. The middle half of commercial pilots in Des Moines earn between $95,630 and $162,920.
- $81K10th
- $96K25th
- $121KMedian
- $163K75th
- $206K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $135,630 | $11,302 | — |
| Median | $121,490 | $10,124 | — |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $95,630 | $7,969 | — |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $162,920 | $13,577 | — |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year (BLS publishes this job's pay as annual only).
Commercial Pilots salary after taxes in Des Moines
On the average salary of $135,630, a single filer in Des Moines takes home about $99,427 a year, or $8,286 a month and $3,824 every two weeks. Taxes take 27% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Iowa school district surtaxes (a percentage of state tax in some districts) are not included.
Is Des Moines a good place for commercial pilots? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Des Moines area are 8% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 91.7), so the average $135,630 buys what about $147,905 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.3 times the median wage of all jobs in Des Moines ($51,820). A typical home costs $296,070, or 2.2 years of this average salary before tax.
Commercial Pilots salary in nearby metro areas
- Omaha, NE$123,720
- Kansas City, MO$127,780
- La Crosse, WI$97,550
- Topeka, KS$125,550
- Sioux Falls, SD$114,140
- Peoria, IL$149,360
Highest-paying cities for commercial pilots
Waterbury, CT pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($267,680).
- Waterbury, CT$267,680
- Kiryas Joel, NY$226,850
- Bridgeport, CT$226,590
- Santa Rosa, CA$218,810
- Louisville, KY$210,350
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Commercial Pilots salary in Des Moines: questions
What is the entry-level commercial pilots salary in Des Moines?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $81,270 a year and the 25th percentile is $95,630, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the commercial pilots take-home pay in Des Moines?
About $99,427 a year ($8,286 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $135,630. Iowa school district surtaxes (a percentage of state tax in some districts) are not included.
Do commercial pilots earn more in Des Moines than elsewhere?
The average here is 8% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($146,776).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 53-2012; area Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA (19780). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 5.9%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Iowa school district surtaxes (a percentage of state tax in some districts) are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.04, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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