SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                   WASHINGTON, D.C.  20549

                           Form 11-K

       ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 15(d) OF THE
       SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 [FEE REQUIRED]

         For the fiscal year ended December 31, 1993

     Commission file number 0-8590

     A.   Full title of the plan and the address of the
plan, if different from that of the issuer named below:
Equitable of Iowa Companies Deferred Profit Sharing and
Retirement Savings Plan and Trust.
     B.    Name of issuer of the securities held pursuant to
the plan and the address of its principal executive office:

                    Equitable of Iowa Companies
                    604 Locust Street
                    Des Moines, IA 50309

                   PROVIDED INFORMATION

     1)    Plan  financial statements and schedules prepared
in accordance with the financial reporting requirements of
the Employee Retirement Income Security Act are attached
hereto as Exhibit 1 and by this reference are incorporated
herein.
     2)   Consent of Independent Auditors is attached hereto
as Exhibit 2 and by this reference is incorporated herein.

                        SIGNATURES

The Plan.  Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, the administrator of the employee
benefit plan has duly caused this annual report to be signed
on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                   EQUITABLE OF IOWA COMPANIES
                   DEFERRED PROFIT SHARING AND RETIREMENT
                   SAVINGS PLAN AND TRUST

                   By:  Equitable of Iowa Companies,
                        Administrator

                   By:  /s/ Fred S. Hubbell
                        ____________________________
                        Fred S. Hubbell, President

Date:  June 29, 1994








Exhibit 2

           Consent of Independent Auditors

We consent to the incorporation by reference in the
Registration Statement (Form S-8 No. 33-57484) pertaining to
the Equitable of Iowa Companies Deferred Profit Sharing and
Retirement Savings Plan and Trust of our report dated June
3, 1994, with respect to the financial statements and
schedules of the Equitable of Iowa Companies Deferred Profit
Sharing and Retirement Savings Plan and Trust included in
this Annual Report (Form 11-K) for the year ended December
31, 1993.


                                /s/ Ernst & Young


Des Moines, Iowa
June 23, 1994