$90,000 in Des Moines ≈ $106,881 in Washington
$106,881
Purchasing-power equivalent using BEA RPP 2024 (91.7 → 108.9). BLS OEWS May 2025 wages on linked pages.
Prices in Washington run +18.8% vs Des Moines for equal purchasing power at this salary level.
Same job, both metros
- Physicians, All Other in Des Moines Physicians, All Other in Washington
- Computer and Information Systems Managers in Des Moines Computer and Information Systems Managers in Washington
- Financial Managers in Des Moines Financial Managers in Washington
- Architectural and Engineering Managers in Des Moines Architectural and Engineering Managers in Washington
- Lawyers in Des Moines Lawyers in Washington
- Des Moines RPP
- 91.7
- Washington RPP
- 108.9
- Price gap
- +18.8%
- Base salary
- $90,000
Prices in Washington run +18.8% versus Des Moines on BEA all-items RPP (2024), so overall price levels are higher at the destination. A $90,000 paycheck in Des Moines maps to about $106,881 in Washington for equal purchasing power.
Salary needed in Washington
| In Des Moines | In Washington |
|---|---|
| $60,000 | $71,254 |
| $90,000 | $106,881 |
| $150,000 | $178,135 |
Equivalent = origin salary × (108.9 ÷ 91.7). Adjust the base with the slider above.
Price level components
| Component | Des Moines | Washington | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 91.7 | 108.9 | 100 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 104.8 | 100 |
| Housing (rents) | 84.7 | 151.1 | 100 |
| Other services | 92.9 | 102.3 | 100 |
BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, US = 100. Housing is rents; utilities omitted in this view.
Wages in both metros
| Occupation | Des Moines | Washington | Dest. middle half | Dest. OEWS emp. | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physicians, All Other | $309,880 | $208,710 | $105,860 to $313,520 | 10,650 | −32.6% |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | $164,840 | $195,190 | $171,120 to $228,800 | 20,800 | +18.4% |
| Financial Managers | $154,140 | $185,270 | $156,730 to $227,220 | 26,430 | +20.2% |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $148,330 | $185,220 | $161,470 to $215,010 | 5,500 | +24.9% |
| Lawyers | $134,560 | $195,190 | $161,470 to $309,140 | 46,840 | +45.1% |
| Marketing Managers | $135,140 | $181,260 | $141,220 to $233,290 | 8,900 | +34.1% |
| Human Resources Managers | $138,140 | $177,960 | $140,360 to $214,420 | 6,280 | +28.8% |
| Sales Managers | $136,570 | $175,820 | $121,380 to $232,760 | 8,780 | +28.7% |
BLS OEWS May 2025 metro medians where published for both CBSAs. Employment is OEWS published employment, not job openings.
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FAQ
- What salary do I need in Washington to match $90,000 in Des Moines?
- About $106,881, based on BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) of 91.7 and 108.9. Formula: salary × (RPP_destination / RPP_origin). Not financial advice.
- What do goods, housing, and other RPP components mean?
- BEA publishes component indexes alongside all-items RPP. Goods covers merchandise prices; housing (rents) covers rents; other services covers remaining services. All are indexed to US = 100 for the same vintage year.
- How do OEWS wages relate to this comparison?
- BLS OEWS (May 2025) publishes occupation medians by metro. The wage bridge shows jobs with published medians in both metros, plus middle-half bands and OEWS employment where available. RPP adjusts purchasing power; OEWS reports pay.
- Does this include taxes or benefits?
- No. PayByCity does not model income taxes, childcare, healthcare premiums, or leave. Use the figures as a price-level starting point, not a take-home or total-rewards calculator.
What this covers
Includes
- BEA Regional Price Parities (all items, goods, housing rents, other services)
- BLS OEWS median wages, percentile bands, and employment where published
- Purchasing-power math: salary × (destination RPP ÷ origin RPP)
Does not include
- Federal, state, or local income taxes
- Childcare, healthcare premiums, or leave benefits
- Job openings. OEWS employment is a published stock estimate, not hiring demand
See methodology and disclaimer.