How much does an airline pilot make in Des Moines?
$161,000a year
Median yearly pay for airline pilots in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area. That is $77.40 an hour or $13,420 a month.
- Hourly
- $77.40
- Vs. national median
- -31%
- Rank among cities
- 38 of 46
- Jobs in the area
- 60
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $86,570Median: $161,000Highest 10%: $294,600
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $86,570 | $41.62 | |
| 25th | $86,570 | $41.62 | |
| Median | $161,000 | $77.40 | |
| 75th | $168,500 | $81.01 | |
| 90th | $294,600 | $141.62 |
Other cities in Iowa
Median yearly pay for airline pilots.
| No other city in the state with data. |
Related jobs in Des Moines
Same field, median yearly pay.
| Commercial Pilot | $121,500 |
| Crane and Tower Operator | $75,760 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Worker | $61,340 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver | $60,720 |
| Bus Driver | $58,930 |
| Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector | $56,990 |
| Industrial Truck and Tractor Operator | $49,080 |
| Laborer and Freight | $46,370 |
| Driver/Sales Worker | $46,330 |
| Bus Driver | $46,210 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does an airline pilot make an hour in Des Moines?
The median hourly pay in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area is $77.40 ($161,000 a year).
Do airline pilots make more in Des Moines than the national average?
No: $161,000 against $232,100 nationally, 31% less.
How does Des Moines compare with the rest of Iowa?
The median in Iowa is $131,700, so Des Moines pays 22% more.
Where does Des Moines rank for airline pilot pay?
38 of 46 metro areas with data.
How much does an airline pilot make starting out in Des Moines?
The lowest-paid 10% make $86,570 or less a year; the top 10% make $294,600 or more.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS): pay in May 2025, published by BLS in 2026. Hourly pay is the yearly figure divided by 2,080 hours.