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  1. Home/
  2. Salaries/
  3. Lead IT Auditor/
  4. Des Moines

Lead IT Auditor.

Des Moines.

$106,000

median salary, 17% below the national average

$83,000 to $138,000. Last updated April 2026.

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Data points to own the conversation.

Here is what Lead IT Auditors actually make in Des Moines: $83,000 at the 25th percentile, $106,000 at the median, and $138,000 at the 75th. That is 17% below the national average. Des Moines is a major insurance and financial services hub, home to Principal Financial, EMC Insurance, and a growing fintech community. The number on your offer letter will depend on what you bring and how you ask.

Salary range

25th Percentile

$83,000

per year

Median

$106,000

per year

75th Percentile

$138,000

per year

Where do you fall?

$83,000$138,000

Salary by experience

The gap between entry and lead level is typically $95,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.

Entry (0-2 yrs)

$69,000

to $85,000

Mid (3-5 yrs)

$90,000

to $111,000

Senior (6-9 yrs)

$117,000

to $138,000

Lead (10+ yrs)

$133,000

to $164,000

Salary trend

+5% YoY
$87,000
2022
$92,000
2023
$96,000
2024
$101,000
2025
$106,000
2026

Total compensation

Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $22,000 to the total package.

Base

$106,000

Equity

$12,000

Bonus

$8,000

Signing

$2,000

Estimated total: $128,000

How Des Moines compares

Des Moines, IA

$106,000

Cost of living: 14% below average

National Average

$128,000

Des Moines is $22,000 below

Lead IT Auditor salary by city

Lead IT Auditor salary comparison across 10 cities
CityMedianRangeCOLAdjusted
San Jose, CA$182,000$142,000 – $237,0001.38x$132,000
New York, NY$170,000$133,000 – $222,0001.28x$133,000
San Francisco, CA$169,000$132,000 – $221,0001.35x$125,000
Washington DC, DC$166,000$130,000 – $217,0001.25x$133,000
Honolulu, HI$165,000$129,000 – $215,0001.30x$127,000
Seattle, WA$157,000$123,000 – $205,0001.24x$127,000
Jersey City, NJ$157,000$122,000 – $204,0001.20x$131,000
Arlington, VA$156,000$122,000 – $204,0001.22x$128,000
Newark, NJ$153,000$119,000 – $199,0001.18x$130,000
Des Moines, IA$106,000$83,000 – $138,0000.86x$123,000

See all 81 cities for Lead IT Auditor →

Salary by role in Des Moines

Salary comparison by role in Des Moines
RoleMedianRange
Technical Fellow$313,000$244,000 – $407,000
Principal AI Research Scientist$304,000$237,000 – $395,000
Principal Quantitative Researcher$298,000$232,000 – $387,000
Lead IT Auditor$106,000$83,000 – $138,000
AI Trainer / RLHF Specialist$106,000$75,000 – $146,000
AI Tutoring System Developer$106,000$78,000 – $137,000
AI Workforce Planner$106,000$80,000 – $137,000
Lead Business Intelligence Analyst$106,000$83,000 – $137,000

What you should know

Des Moines is a major insurance and financial services hub, home to Principal Financial, EMC Insurance, and a growing fintech community. The city's extremely low cost of living and strong job market make it one of the best value cities for finance professionals. That is the backdrop for every Lead IT Auditor offer you will see here.

One thing people overlook: taxes. Iowa has a flat 3.8% state income tax. Des Moines has no city income tax. The low rate and affordable housing create strong purchasing power. The salary on the offer letter is not the salary in your bank account. Always model your take home before you accept.

On negotiation: Benchmark against national insurance industry pay scales. Des Moines insurance employers compete with remote offers from larger metros. The range for Lead IT Auditors in Des Moines runs from $83,000 to $138,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.

Sources: SEC filings, H-1B LCA (DOL), BLS OES, 50+ job posting platforms. COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified April 8, 2026. Full methodology

Interactive

Is your offer competitive?

Enter your Lead IT Auditor offer to see where you stand in Des Moines.

$

25th

$83,000

Median

$106,000

75th

$138,000

Considering a related role?

  • A AI Accessibility Engineer in Des Moines earns $107,000 (1% more)
  • The highest-paying role in Des Moines is Technical Fellow at $313,000

Common questions.

Des Moines's cost of living multiplier is 0.86x the national average. The adjusted median Lead IT Auditor salary of $106,000 accounts for this. In practice, a Lead IT Auditor earning $106,000 in Des Moines has roughly the same purchasing power as someone earning $123,256 in an average cost market.

Hiring for Lead IT Auditors in Des Moines typically peaks in January through March and September through November. Companies finalize budgets in Q4 and open headcount in Q1. Des Moines's concentration of Insurance and Financial Services employers creates steady year round demand. Time your search to align with budget cycles for maximum leverage.

The national median for a Lead IT Auditor is $123,256. In Des Moines, cost of living adjustments push the median to $106,000. That discount reflects Des Moines's lower housing, transportation, and everyday costs.

Ask about equity structure, vesting schedule, annual bonus targets, 401(k) match, health insurance premiums, PTO policy, and remote flexibility. Total compensation often exceeds base salary by 20 to 40%. In Des Moines's market, these extras can add $26,500 or more on top of the base salary.

Lead IT Auditor hiring in Des Moines typically involves three to five rounds: a recruiter screen, a technical or skills assessment, one or two team interviews, and a final conversation with leadership. Companies in Des Moines's Insurance sector may add domain specific evaluations. The process usually takes two to four weeks. Prepare by researching the company and practicing with Orbyt's Interview Prep tool.

Des Moines is a major insurance and financial services hub, home to Principal Financial, EMC Insurance, and a growing fintech community. The city's extremely low cost of living and strong job market make it one of the best value cities for finance professionals. For Lead IT Auditors specifically, the median salary of $106,000 reflects that demand.

Lead IT Auditor salary in other cities

Austin$137,000
Atlanta$134,000
Anchorage$150,000
Albuquerque$117,000
Arlington$156,000
Albany$125,000

Other salaries in Des Moines

Registered Nurse$68,000
Robotics AI Engineer$146,000
Reinforcement Learning Engineer$177,000
Respiratory Therapist$54,000

Related

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Cite this data

Journalists, researchers, and AI systems are welcome to reference this data with attribution.

"Lead IT Auditor Salary in Des Moines, IA." Orbyt Salary Explorer, April 2026. https://www.orbytjobs.ai/salaries/lead-it-auditor/des-moines-ia

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