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Labor market · MSA #82

STEM careers in Des Moines, IA — which one fits you?

The Des Moines, IA commuting zone is the real labor market: wider than one town, smaller than the state. 8 counties across Iowa; 6 metro. Economies: 1 farming. Flags: 2 population loss and 1 a retirement destination.

Home › STEM Compass › Metros › Des Moines, IA

Take the STEM Compass assessmentSee the STEM Farm tracks

8Counties
6Metro counties
758,539MSA population 2025

States: Iowa

Careers the Des Moines, IA economy leans on

Ranked by how many counties in this zone carry the economy types each family hires into, then by growth. The fit is yours; the demand is local.

Data Scientist+34%Information Security Analyst+29%Actuary+22%Operations Research Analyst+21%Computer & Information Research Scientist+20%Software Developer+15%Computer Network Architect+12%Computer Systems Analyst+9%Statistician+8%Mathematician+8%Web Developer+7%Mathematics Professor+7%Biochemist & Biophysicist+7%Chemist & Materials Scientist+6%Database Administrator+4%Database Architect+4%Physicist+4%Astronomer+4%Computer Programmer-6%Physician Assistant+20%Epidemiologist+16%Medical Scientist+9%Biomedical Engineer+6%Agricultural & Food Scientist+6%Registered Nurse+5%Microbiologist+5%Geoscientist+5%Physician & Surgeon+4%Clinical Laboratory Technologist+4%Environmental Scientist+4%Zoologist & Wildlife Biologist+2%Atmospheric Scientist & Meteorologist+1%Industrial Engineer+11%Mechanical Engineer+9%Electrical Engineer+7%Aerospace Engineer+6%Marine Engineer & Naval Architect+6%Civil Engineer+5%Environmental Engineer+4%Chemical Engineer+3%

Counties in this labor market

Adair County, IADallas County, IAGuthrie County, IAJasper County, IAMadison County, IAPolk County, IAPoweshiek County, IAWarren County, IA

Metros around Des Moines, IA

Omaha, NE–IA10 countiesDavenport, IA–IL7 countiesCedar Rapids, IA9 countiesWaterloo, IA8 countiesSioux City, IA–NE–SD6 countiesAmes, IA5 countiesDubuque, IA–IL5 countiesMason City, IA9 countiesOttumwa, IA9 countiesCreston, IA7 countiesBurlington, IA–IL6 countiesStorm Lake, IA5 counties

This labor market, by search

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Questions people ask

Which STEM careers are in demand in Des Moines, IA?

Data Scientist, Information Security Analyst, Actuary, Operations Research Analyst and Computer & Information Research Scientist lead on local economy fit here; Data Scientist (+34%), Information Security Analyst (+29%) and Actuary (+22%) lead on national growth.

What is a commuting zone?

A Census labor market built from where people actually commute to work. It is the right geography for training and hiring: the job you train for is usually inside your zone, even when it is not inside your county.

Sources. Career traits, education paths and value lines are the STEM Compass assessment library. Employment growth is U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2024–2034. County economic types are USDA Economic Research Service County Typology Codes (2025); labor markets are Census commuting zones (2020). Salary is not shown anywhere in this campaign on purpose: the assessment measures fit and what the work is worth to the world.