How much does a Criminal Defense Lawyer make in Des Moines, IA?
As of April 01, 2025, the average annual salary for a Criminal Defense Lawyer in Des Moines, IA is $103,328. Salary.com reports that pay typically ranges from $88,556 to $119,975, with most professionals earning between $75,107 and $135,131.
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What is a Criminal Defense Lawyer?
A Criminal Defense Lawyer is a lawyer (mostly barristers) specializing in the defense of individuals and companies charged with criminal activity. Some criminal defense lawyers are privately retained, while others are employed by the various jurisdictions with criminal courts for appointment to represent indigent persons; the latter are generally called public defenders. The terminology is imprecise because each jurisdiction may have different practices with various levels of input from state and federal law or consent decrees. Some jurisdictions use a rotating system of appointments, with ju...
Source: Wikipedia (as of 09/06/2019). Read more from Wikipedia
Criminal Defense Lawyer Salary By Experience Levels in Des Moines, IA
How much should you be earning in Criminal Defense Lawyer in Des Moines, IA based on your current experience?
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RELEVANT JOB EXPERIENCE
Length of experience is a pay differentiator. Those with greater experience may have an advantage in negotiating salary. For those with less experience, other factors such as education or special skills could impact your pay. Please visit Professional Salary Report for more details.
Criminal Defense Lawyer Salary By Level of Education in Des Moines, IA
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LEVEL OF EDUCATION
Depending on the job, educational levels may have a significant impact on pay levels. Be informed and understand how things like education and certifications can help to increase potential earnings for the career you are interested in. Please visit Professional Salary Report for more details.
Average Salary Range for Criminal Defense Lawyer in Des Moines, IA
Average Base Salary
Core compensation
 
 
 
88556
119975
103328
Average Total Cash Compensation
Includes base and annual incentives
 
 
 
91443
127728
108062
What is the average salary for Criminal Defense Lawyer in 2025?
These charts show the average base salary (core compensation), as well as the average total cash compensation for the job of Criminal Defense Lawyer in Des Moines, IA. The base salary for Criminal Defense Lawyer ranges from $88,556 to $119,975 with the average base salary of $103,328. The total cash compensation, which includes base, and annual incentives, can vary anywhere from $91,443 to $127,728 with the average total cash compensation of $108,062.
View Average Salary for Criminal Defense Lawyer as table
Average Salary
Average Salary Range
Base Salary
$103,328
$88,556 - $119,975
Bonus
$4,734
$2,888 - $7,753
Total Pay
$108,062
$91,443 - $127,728
* Base Salary represents gross income before taxes and deductions. It does not include additional pay such as benefits, bonuses, profit sharing or commissions.
* Total Pay combines base salary, bonuses, profit sharing, tips, commissions, overtime pay and other forms of cash earnings, as applicable for this job.
Criminal Defense Lawyer Salary Near Des Moines, IA
See salaries for Criminal Defense Lawyer in locations close to Des Moines, IA. Pay for the same job may vary based on the location and on the location and on other factors such as the size of company, the industry, and other local conditions.
About Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines (/dɪˈmɔɪn/ (listen)) is the capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small part of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines, which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857. It is on and named after the Des Moines River, which likely was adapted from the early French name, Rivière des Moines, meaning "River of the Monks". The city's population was 217,521 as of the 2017 population estimate. The five-county metropolitan area is ranked 89th in terms of population in ...
Source: Wikipedia (as of 04/11/2019). Read more from Wikipedia
View Salary for Similar Jobs to Criminal Defense Lawyer in Des Moines, IA
The Criminal Defense Lawyer job could be listed using titles that are not exactly the same, but actually are for the same or very similar job. Here are some job titles in Des Moines, IA that might be a good fit for the type of job and salary you are looking for.
About Des Moines, Iowa Des Moines (/dɪˈmɔɪn/ (listen)) is the capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A smal....More
Des Moines, Iowa area prices were up 0.8% from a year ago