Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance Salary
The median pay for a dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA is $44,730/year ($21.5/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $41K at the entry level to $69K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.7), which stretches that salary to about $48,779 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,318/month, about 43.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $45K get you in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Des Moines-West Des Moines’s Regional Price Parity (91.7). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulances
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What this looks like in Des Moines-West Des Moines
Pay for dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance in Des Moines-West Des Moines runs about 11% below the U.S. median of $50K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,318/month, which is 44.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.7 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulances.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulances in metros near Des Moines-West Des Moines, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $48K | $54K |
| Cedar Rapids | $50K | $56K |
| Sioux City | $45K | $52K |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls | $46K | $53K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
Entry-level dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulances (10th percentile) start around $41K. Mid-career wages sit at $45K. Top earners bring in $69K or more, a $28K spread from bottom to top.
Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $72K | +44% | 300 |
| Washington | $59K | +18% | 4,920 |
| Minnesota | $59K | +18% | 2,760 |
| North Dakota | $58K | +14% | 600 |
| Illinois | $57K | +14% | N/A |
| Delaware | $57K | +14% | 670 |
| Alaska | $57K | +13% | 570 |
| Vermont | $56K | +12% | 260 |
| New York | $56K | +11% | 11,160 |
| Massachusetts | $56K | +11% | 3,510 |
| Maine | $55K | +10% | 670 |
| Oregon | $55K | +9% | 3,290 |
| New Jersey | $55K | +8% | 6,420 |
| Colorado | $54K | +7% | 3,470 |
| Nebraska | $54K | +7% | 1,500 |
| New Hampshire | $53K | +5% | 710 |
| Hawaii | $53K | +4% | 950 |
| California | $52K | +4% | 23,970 |
| Wisconsin | $52K | +4% | 3,240 |
| Missouri | $51K | +2% | 4,340 |
| Maryland | $51K | +2% | 3,310 |
| Utah | $51K | +1% | 2,040 |
| Virginia | $51K | +1% | 5,830 |
| Ohio | $50K | -0% | 5,720 |
| Indiana | $50K | -1% | 4,090 |
| Kentucky | $50K | -1% | 2,440 |
| Pennsylvania | $50K | -1% | 6,670 |
| Idaho | $50K | -1% | 1,430 |
| Tennessee | $50K | -1% | 4,190 |
| Michigan | $49K | -2% | 5,390 |
| Rhode Island | $49K | -2% | 530 |
| Georgia | $49K | -2% | 6,190 |
| Alabama | $49K | -3% | 1,780 |
| Wyoming | $49K | -3% | 240 |
| North Carolina | $48K | -4% | 5,740 |
| Connecticut | $48K | -5% | 2,220 |
| Nevada | $48K | -5% | 2,840 |
| Arizona | $48K | -5% | 5,690 |
| South Carolina | $48K | -6% | 2,440 |
| Texas | $47K | -6% | 23,920 |
| Kansas | $47K | -6% | 1,670 |
| Montana | $47K | -6% | 810 |
| Arkansas | $47K | -6% | 1,780 |
| Louisiana | $47K | -7% | 2,980 |
| Iowa | $47K | -7% | 1,460 |
| West Virginia | $47K | -7% | 880 |
| Florida | $46K | -9% | 12,550 |
| Mississippi | $46K | -9% | 2,000 |
| Oklahoma | $45K | -11% | 2,180 |
| New Mexico | $44K | -13% | 1,350 |
| South Dakota | $44K | -13% | 860 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
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Frequently asked questions
Can a dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance afford a 2BR apartment alone in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $45K, rent takes 44.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,318/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulances in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulances typically earn — is $41K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,468/month. At HUD’s $1,318/month FMR, rent would take 53% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance a high-paying job in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $45K here vs. $50K nationally. Cost of living is 8% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Des Moines-West Des Moines compare to the national average for dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulances?
Des Moines-West Des Moines pays $45K median vs. the U.S. average of $50K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.7), the purchasing-power equivalent is $49K — below the national median.
How much do dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulances make in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?
The median is $44,730 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $41,140, and experienced dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulances can clear $68,800. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $45K enough to live in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,988/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,318/month, which eats 44.1% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance salary go in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Des Moines-West Des Moines has a Regional Price Parity of 91.7 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance salary is worth about $48,779 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulances get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.