School Counselor.
Des Moines.
$58,000
median salary, 11% below the national average
$47,000 to $74,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
The median School Counselor salary in Des Moines is $58,000, 11% below the national average. Entry level starts near $47,000. Experienced professionals push past $74,000. Des Moines is a major insurance and financial services hub, home to Principal Financial, EMC Insurance, and a growing fintech community. That spread is your negotiation window. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page.
Salary range.
Where do you fall?
Orbyt estimate for School Counselor in Des Moines, modelled from national occupation wages adjusted for local cost of living. The published government benchmark for this occupation is below.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $57,580 for Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors (SOC 21-1012) in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metropolitan area, based on 650 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$48,120
25th percentile
$50,070
Median
$57,580
75th percentile
$74,640
90th percentile
$78,930
Workers surveyed
650
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors (SOC 21-1012) rather than School Counselor specifically. The Des Moinesrange at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such.
View the BLS source for SOC 21-1012Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $52,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$38,000
to $46,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$49,000
to $61,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$64,000
to $75,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$73,000
to $90,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $17,000 to the total package.
Base
$58,000
Equity
$10,000
Bonus
$6,000
Signing
$1,000
Estimated total: $75,000
How Des Moines compares.
Des Moines, IA
$58,000
Cost of living: 14% below average
National Average
$65,000
Des Moines is $7,000 below
School Counselor salary by city.
Salary by role in Des Moines.
What you should know.
If you are interviewing for School Counselor roles in Des Moines, here is what you are walking into. Des Moines is a major insurance and financial services hub, home to Principal Financial, EMC Insurance, and a growing fintech community. The metro's extremely low cost of living and strong job market make it one of the best value cities for finance professionals. Tech employment is growing as insurtech companies expand. State licensure requirements, school level assignment, and district funding levels drive pay variance. Counselors in well-funded suburban districts or states with mandated counselor-to-student ratios earn significantly more. Advanced certifications in college counseling or trauma-informed care add salary value.
Entry-level School Counselors earn $46,000 to $52,000. Experienced counselors with five to ten years reach $58,000 to $70,000. Lead Counselors and Department Heads earn $72,000 to $85,000, while Directors of School Counseling and Student Services command $88,000 to $110,000. In Des Moines, your dollars stretch further. Cost of living runs 14% below the national average, which means even a median salary buys a stronger lifestyle.
Base salary is not the full picture. School counselors typically work 10 to 11 months, with optional summer employment adding $3,000 to $6,000. Pension benefits and comprehensive health insurance add $15,000 to $25,000 in effective value. Some districts offer tuition reimbursement for doctoral studies. And on the tax side: iowa has a flat 3.8% state income tax. Des Moines has no city income tax. The low tax rate and affordable housing create strong purchasing power. When someone quotes you $58,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Benchmark against national insurance industry pay scales. Des Moines insurance employers must compete with remote offers from larger metros and will often match. The range for School Counselors in Des Moines runs from $47,000 to $74,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: BLS OES, H-1B LCA (DOL). COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified July 1, 2026. Full methodology
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- A Sales Representative in Des Moines earns $57,000 (2% less)
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Common questions.
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