Des Moines, IA H-1B salaries — 4,728 certified filings (FY2016–FY2026)
- 264
- Filings · FY2025
- $98k
- Median base · FY2025
- $81k–$121k
- Middle 50% · FY2025
- Cognizant Technology Solutions US
- Top sponsor · 530 all-time
Employers in Des Moines, IA have 4,728 certified H-1B LCAs on record since FY2016. In FY2025 the median base salary was $98k across 264 filings, with the middle 50% between $81k and $121k. The biggest sponsors are Cognizant Technology Solutions US, Ernst Young U.S. LLP, Compunnel Software Group; the most-sponsored titles are Software Developer, Programmer Analyst, Manager.
How much do H-1B workers in Des Moines, IA make?
Certified base salary by fiscal year: each box is the p25–p75 range, the heavy line the median, the whiskers reach p10–p90. $98k median in FY2025. Base pay only — hover a year for its figures.
How has H-1B hiring in Des Moines, IA changed?
425 certified filings in FY2016 → 188 in FY2026. The change column is each year against the one before.
| Fiscal year | Filings | vs prior FY | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026 | 188 | −29% | $101k |
| FY2025 | 264 | −11% | $98k |
| FY2024 | 297 | +7% | $92k |
| FY2023 | 278 | −16% | $94k |
| FY2022 | 330 | −18% | $89k |
| FY2021 | 402 | −43% | $85k |
| FY2020 | 702 | 0% | $84k |
| FY2019 | 703 | +14% | $80k |
| FY2018 | 616 | +18% | $79k |
| FY2017 | 523 | +23% | $72k |
| FY2016 | 425 | — | $65k |
Which companies sponsor H-1B workers in Des Moines, IA?
The employers with the most certified filings, all years, with their median base salary. Open any employer for its full profile.
| # | Employer | Filings | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cognizant Technology Solutions US | 530 | $86k |
| 2 | Ernst Young U.S. LLP | 143 | $78k |
| 3 | Compunnel Software Group | 137 | $87k |
| 4 | Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines | 103 | $79k |
| 5 | Tata Consultancy Services | 82 | $65k |
| 6 | Mercy Clinics | 81 | $250k |
| 7 | Seven Seas Technologies | 69 | $80k |
| 8 | Wellmark | 67 | $90k |
| 9 | Accenture LLP | 63 | $91k |
| 10 | Skywalk Global | 59 | $68k |
What H-1B jobs get sponsored in Des Moines, IA?
The most-filed job titles on certified LCAs in this city, all years (DOL titles, pay-grade codes stripped).
| # | Job title | Filings | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Software Developer | 443 | $85k |
| 2 | Programmer Analyst | 225 | $65k |
| 3 | Manager | 214 | $89k |
| 4 | Software Engineer | 211 | $85k |
| 5 | Senior Systems Analyst | 166 | $74k |
| 6 | JAVA Developer | 88 | $81k |
| 7 | Systems Analyst | 85 | $72k |
| 8 | Senior Manager | 56 | $99k |
| 9 | Senior Associate | 53 | $84k |
| 10 | IT JAVA Developer | 41 | $89k |
Common questions about H-1B jobs in Des Moines, IA
- What is the median H-1B salary in Des Moines, IA?
- The median certified H-1B base salary in Des Moines, IA is $98k (FY2025), from 264 filings. Across all years the middle 50% earn between $72k and $96k.
- Which companies sponsor the most H-1B workers in Des Moines, IA?
- The top H-1B sponsors in Des Moines, IA are Cognizant Technology Solutions US, Ernst Young U.S. LLP, Compunnel Software Group.
- What are the most common H-1B jobs in Des Moines, IA?
- The most-sponsored H-1B roles in Des Moines, IA are Software Developer, Programmer Analyst, Manager.
- Does a certified LCA mean an H-1B visa was approved?
- No. A Labor Condition Application (LCA) is the Department of Labor attestation an employer must have certified before filing an H-1B petition with USCIS. It records the job, worksite and offered wage, but not whether the petition was filed, selected in the lottery, or approved. Filing counts measure intent to sponsor, not headcount.
- What salary do these figures show?
- The base annual wage offered on the certified LCA, converted to a yearly amount. Bonus, equity, overtime and benefits are not included, so total compensation is typically higher. Figures are medians and percentiles over certified filings; wages above $5,000,000 a year are excluded as data-entry errors.
- What does the fiscal year mean here?
- Years are U.S. government fiscal years, October to September: FY2025 runs from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025. This matches how the Department of Labor publishes the disclosure files. The most recent year may be partial until its final quarter is released.
Keep exploring
Calculate your H-1B lottery odds →orCheck out the insights →
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification — certified LCA disclosure data through June 2026 (FY2016–FY2026). An LCA is not an approved visa; pay figures are base salary and exclude bonus and equity. Methodology →