Start with the answer
Financial Clerks, All Other pay in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
The May 2025 BLS OEWS median for Financial Clerks, All Other is $51,770 per year in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA. It is $73,030 per year in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV. Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA is 29.1% below Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV on the published median.
Both rows use SOC 43-3099 and the same annual wage metric. Median means the middle of each area's published wage spread. It is not one worker's pay. The larger median is not proof that one place gives a better job or a better result. It is one wage fact from one source period.
BLS lists 40 wage and salary jobs in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA and 300 in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV. Those are survey job counts, not open posts. Read pay, job scale, local share, and price level as separate facts before you make a choice.