Hiring a software quality assurance analyst in Des Moines, IA

Do Des Moines residents in computer and mathematical work earn more than employers in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA area pay?

Des Moines residents working in computer and mathematical occupations earn a median of $81,523 (Census ACS 5-year 2023, tables S2401 and B24011), against $100,130 as the median of the 18 wages BLS publishes for that same occupation group in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA area (BLS OEWS, May 2025), a difference of 19%, with the employers figure the higher of the two.

Both sides of that figure describe the whole computer and mathematical group, not this one role. In the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA area the group covers 18 occupations BLS publishes a wage for, from statisticians at $58,840 to actuaries at $130,540 (BLS OEWS, May 2025), with software quality assurance analysts and testers at $98,190 inside it.

That comparison is between two different measures, not a pay gap. The two weight the same occupation group differently: the Census figure is the midpoint across the people who actually hold those jobs, so a group carrying a few very well paid occupations is pulled toward them, while the BLS figure is the midpoint across the 18 published occupation wages, which counts each of those occupations once whatever its headcount. Census also counts where people live and BLS counts where the jobs are, and the two cover different populations, Census the civilian employed population 16 and over, BLS wage-and-salary jobs only. Read the number against other cities, where the same definitional difference applies on both sides, rather than as a shortfall.

Published wages across this group in the metro run above what Des Moines residents in it earn, which usually means employers here draw this talent from beyond the city line rather than from inside it.

Is the talent actually in Des Moines?

This is a job zone four: considerable preparation needed occupation. Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not. O*NET OnLine, SOC 15-1253.

That matters here, because 29% of Des Moines adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. That is a workable pool, but the search will reach beyond the city line. Census ACS 5-year 2023, table S1501, residents of Des Moines aged 25 and over.

The average Des Moines commute runs 19.6 minutes, which is roughly how far your catchment reaches before candidates start saying no. 11.4% of Des Moines workers already work from home, so a fully onsite requirement here is competing against that. Census ACS 5-year 2023, place-level commuting characteristics for Des Moines.

How often do these jobs turn over?

In Polk County, computer systems design and related services employs 4,153 and turns over 7.5% a quarter, with 315 hires against 350 separations. Average earnings in that industry run $9,522 a month. Census LEHD Quarterly Workforce Indicators, 2024 Q1, NAICS 5415.

That figure covers every occupation in the industry, not this role alone, so read it as the local churn rate rather than as a number about software quality assurance analysts and testers. It still tells you what you are hiring into: a normal churn rate, where a well-run search closes on schedule.

What does the search cost?

The fee is set by the seniority of the role, never by salary and never by location. Across all six tiers it runs $6,240 to $54,340 per search. A contingency firm hiring at this role's $98,190 median in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA area (BLS OEWS, May 2025) would bill roughly $19,638 to $29,457 on the first year salary alone.

One owner runs the search from market map to signed offer. Searches typically fill in 23 to 35 days, which is a typical window rather than a promise, and the replacement guarantee runs 45 days at 50% off.

Questions employers ask about hiring a software quality assurance analyst in Des Moines

What does it cost to hire a software quality assurance analyst in Des Moines?

Tier I to Tier VI, $6,240 to $54,340 per search, set by the seniority of the role and never by salary or location. A contingency firm billing 20 to 30% of this role's $98,190 median wage in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA area (BLS OEWS, May 2025) would charge roughly $19,638 to $29,457 on the first year salary alone.

What should an offer for a software quality assurance analyst in Des Moines look like?

Employers in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA area pay software quality assurance analysts and testers a median of $98,190, with the middle half of the market between $78,560 and $106,790 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). A band set below $78,560 competes for the bottom quarter of that market.

Do Des Moines residents in computer and mathematical work earn more than employers in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA area pay?

Des Moines residents working in computer and mathematical occupations earn a median of $81,523 (Census ACS 5-year 2023, tables S2401 and B24011), against $100,130 as the median of the 18 wages BLS publishes for that same occupation group in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA area (BLS OEWS, May 2025), a difference of 19%. Both figures cover the whole occupation group rather than this one role, and one counts where people live while the other counts where the jobs are, so the percentage is not a pay gap.

Is the talent for this role already in Des Moines?

This is a job zone 4 occupation, which usually calls for a bachelor's degree, and 29% of Des Moines adults hold one or higher (Census ACS 5-year 2023, table S1501). That is a workable pool, though the search will reach beyond the city line.

Related

• Hiring Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers: the role, the pay, the process
• Recruiting services in Des Moines
• Every Iowa city we cover

Des Moines is the largest of 1 Iowa cities in this dataset.