Quick answer:Child, Family, and School Social Workers in the Des Moines area earn a median $56,280 per year, below the national median of $59,550, and the metro employs about 800 of them (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Social Work Pay in Des Moines, IA
Metric
Des Moines metro
Iowa
National
Median annual wage
$56,280
$52,250
$59,550
10th percentile
$41,150
$39,240
$42,280
25th percentile
$47,040
$45,460
$48,270
75th percentile
$66,400
$65,040
$76,070
90th percentile
$86,270
$81,170
$95,530
Employment
800
3,410
392,550
Location quotient
0.79
-
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 $56,280 is below the national median of $59,550, and above the Iowa statewide median of $52,250 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The metro’s location quotient of 0.79 means child, family, and school social workers are less 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.
Social work demand follows local school districts, hospital systems, county agencies and nonprofit providers.
Licensing is a state matter, not a city one. Social work licensure is tiered, and both the tier names and what each permits differ by state. The national constants are CSWE accreditation of the degree - required at both bachelor’s and master’s level - and the ASWB examinations. Clinical practice requires the master’s plus supervised post-graduate experience.
See the Iowa licensing and pay overview for the statewide picture, and confirm current requirements with your state social work licensing board.
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
We first gather the schools closest to the city or state page you are viewing, then rank that
local group by BOC Score, with the highest at the top. The BOC Score is computed from federal
IPEDS and College Scorecard data; schools without enough data to score appear last.
LOCAL RANK
Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry
25%
Average net price (lower is better)
20%
Retention rate
15%
Fully online availability
10%
Schools without enough federal outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score.
Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
How much do child, family, and school social workers make in Des Moines?
The median annual wage for child, family, and school social workers in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area is $56,280, below the national median of $59,550 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
How many child, family, and school social workers work in the Des Moines area?
The Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area employs about 800 child, family, and school social workers (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Do child, family, and school social workers in Des Moines need a license?
Licensing is handled at state level rather than by city. Social work licensure is tiered, and both the tier names and what each permits differ by state. The national constants are CSWE accreditation of the degree - required at both bachelor's and master's level - and the ASWB examinations. Clinical practice requires the master's plus supervised post-graduate experience. Confirm current requirements with your state social work licensing board.
Can I study social work 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 your state social work licensing board.
Is Des Moines a better market than the rest of Iowa?
The Des Moines metro median is $56,280 against a statewide median of $52,250 (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 - Child, Family, and School Social Workers (SOC 21-1021), 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
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.
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/.
