Quick answer: The Des Moines metro employs about 1,240 data scientists (BLS OEWS, May 2025), and licensing is set at the state level, through the institution’s accreditor.
Compare data science programs enrolling now:
Licensing
Licensing is a state matter, not a city one. Data science carries no state licence and no programmatic accreditor of its own. The credential that matters is the depth of the statistics sequence and a portfolio of real modelling work. Most accredited programs sit at master’s level; the bachelor’s tier is thinner.
See the Iowa licensing and pay overview for the statewide picture, and confirm current requirements with the institution’s accreditor.
Schools Near You
Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.
How we rank schools – graduation rate, graduate earnings, cost and retention.
Advertising plays no part.
This page lists 7 schools
within 167 miles, closest group first, then ordered by
BOC Score with the highest at the top.
7 of them carry a score.
LOCAL RANK
Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate how often students finish
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry whether it paid off
25%
Average net price what students actually pay after aid; lower ranks higher
20%
Retention rate how many come back for year two
15%
Fully online availability whether you can study while working
10%
Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal
about the institution rather than about this subject.
Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from
this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.
Data Scientists in the Des Moines area earn a median $103,030 per year, below the national median of $120,230 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Data Science Pay in Des Moines, IA
Metric
Des Moines metro
Iowa
National
Median annual wage
$103,030
$95,830
$120,230
10th percentile
$65,480
$56,070
$67,240
25th percentile
$80,360
$71,010
$85,660
75th percentile
$133,460
$127,340
$158,880
90th percentile
$150,190
$146,700
$199,130
Employment
1,240
2,300
262,440
Location quotient
1.82
-
1.00
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro figures cover the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metropolitan statistical area.
What the Numbers Say About This Market
The Des Moines median of $103,030 is below the national median of $120,230, and above the Iowa statewide median of $95,830 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The metro’s location quotient of 1.82 means data scientists are more concentrated here than in the average U.S. labor market (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Higher concentration generally means more employers competing for the same people, and an easier job change later.
Data science hiring follows the same technology and corporate concentrations as software, with health systems and finance adding demand in metros that are not technology hubs
Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do data scientists make in Des Moines?
The median annual wage for data scientists in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area is $103,030, below the national median of $120,230 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
How many data scientists work in the Des Moines area?
The Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area employs about 1,240 data scientists (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Do data scientists in Des Moines need a license?
Licensing is handled at state level rather than by city. Data science carries no state licence and no programmatic accreditor of its own. The credential that matters is the depth of the statistics sequence and a portfolio of real modelling work. Most accredited programs sit at master's level; the bachelor's tier is thinner. Confirm current requirements with the institution's accreditor.
Can I study data science online from Des Moines?
The academic portion of these programs is widely available online for working adults, while labs, clinical hours or supervised field work are completed in person. Check that the program's accreditation satisfies the institution's accreditor.
Is Des Moines a better market than the rest of Iowa?
The Des Moines metro median is $103,030 against a statewide median of $95,830 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Compare that gap with the difference in living costs before treating it as a raise.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Data Scientists (SOC 15-2051), national, state and metropolitan estimates
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook - education and licensing requirements
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
