As of July 01, 2026, the average annual salary for Scriptwriter in Des Moines, IA is $59,801, equivalent to $29 per hour, $1,150 weekly, or $4,983 monthly. These figures, sourced from Salary.com’s real-time job posting scans, highlight competitive earning potential for Scriptwriter in cities like San Jose, Santa Clara, and San Francisco.

Annually Salaries for Scriptwriter in Des Moines, IA vary widely, spanning from $43,087 to $69,327. Most professionals fall between the 25th percentile ($51,052) and 75th percentile ($64,787), while top earners (90th percentile) make $69,327 per year. This $13,735 pay gap underscores opportunities for salary growth through certifications, specialized skills like Presentation or Programming, or targeting high-paying regions like District of Columbia or California.

Location and experience significantly influence earnings. For example, Des Moines Scriptwriter often earn 2.5% lower than national averages. However, Des Moines currently ranks 416 statewide for Scriptwriter job salary. Professionals are advised to focus on high-growth sectors like to offset market challenges.

Based on HR-reported data: a national average with a geographic differential
Scriptwriter Salaries by Percentile
Percentile Salary Location Last Updated
10th Percentile Scriptwriter Salary $43,087 Des Moines, IA July 01, 2026
25th Percentile Scriptwriter Salary $51,052 Des Moines, IA July 01, 2026
50th Percentile Scriptwriter Salary $59,801 Des Moines, IA July 01, 2026
75th Percentile Scriptwriter Salary $64,787 Des Moines, IA July 01, 2026
90th Percentile Scriptwriter Salary $69,327 Des Moines, IA July 01, 2026
25% $51,052 10% $43,087 90% $69,327 75% $64,787 $59,801 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click
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What is a Scriptwriter ?

A screenplay writer (also called screenwriter for short), scriptwriter or scenarist, is a writer who practices the craft of screenwriting, writing screenplays on which mass media, such as films, television programs and video games, are based....

Source: Wikipedia (as of 04/18/2019). Read more from Wikipedia

See user submitted job responsibilities for Scriptwriter.

Job Openings for Scriptwriter in Des Moines, IA

Career Path for this job

  1. This Job:

    Scriptwriter

    0 - 2 years experience
    Bachelor's Degree

  2. Up a level:

    Senior Producer

    2 - 4 years experience
    Bachelor's Degree

Understand the total compensation opportunity for a Scriptwriter, base salary plus other pay elements

Average Base Salary

Core compensation

 
 
 
51052
64787
59801

Average Total Cash Compensation

Includes base and annual incentives

 
 
 
55553
73891
64120
These charts show the average base salary (core compensation), as well as the average total cash compensation for the job of Scriptwriter in Des Moines, IA. The base salary for Scriptwriter ranges from $51,052 to $64,787 with the average base salary of $59,801. The total cash compensation, which includes base, and annual incentives, can vary anywhere from $55,553 to $73,891 with the average total cash compensation of $64,120.

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51052
64787

 

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

Scriptwriter Salary in popular cities: Cedar RapidsDavenportSioux City

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