Emergency Medical Technicians Salary in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
In Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA, emergency medical technicians earn $43,180 at the median — $20.76 an hour. The range runs from $33K at the entry level to $75K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.7), which stretches that salary to about $47,088 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,318/month — about 44.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $43K 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 emergency medical technicians
Sponsored links — AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
Entry-level emergency medical technicians (10th percentile) start around $33K. Mid-career wages sit at $43K. Top earners bring in $75K or more, a $42K spread from bottom to top.
Emergency Medical Technicians pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $61K | +48% | 550 |
| Alaska | $57K | +38% | 290 |
| New Jersey | $50K | +20% | 5,630 |
| Rhode Island | $50K | +20% | 520 |
| Washington | $49K | +18% | 3,280 |
| Oregon | $48K | +16% | 1,760 |
| Connecticut | $48K | +15% | 2,100 |
| Maryland | $47K | +15% | 2,970 |
| New York | $46K | +11% | 14,350 |
| Massachusetts | $46K | +11% | 4,270 |
| District of Columbia | $46K | +11% | 410 |
| Maine | $46K | +11% | 1,010 |
| Minnesota | $46K | +11% | 2,840 |
| California | $46K | +10% | 19,020 |
| Delaware | $45K | +10% | 970 |
| New Hampshire | $45K | +9% | 1,070 |
| Virginia | $45K | +9% | 3,780 |
| Wisconsin | $43K | +5% | 4,000 |
| Wyoming | $41K | -0% | 450 |
| Illinois | $41K | -1% | 8,480 |
| North Carolina | $41K | -2% | 7,540 |
| Florida | $40K | -2% | 6,770 |
| Indiana | $40K | -4% | 3,760 |
| Vermont | $40K | -4% | 880 |
| South Dakota | $40K | -4% | 710 |
| Idaho | $39K | -5% | 700 |
| Nebraska | $39K | -5% | 540 |
| Iowa | $39K | -5% | 1,210 |
| Georgia | $39K | -5% | 5,740 |
| Nevada | $39K | -6% | 1,390 |
| Michigan | $39K | -6% | 4,160 |
| South Carolina | $39K | -6% | 4,270 |
| Pennsylvania | $39K | -7% | 9,810 |
| Missouri | $39K | -7% | 3,320 |
| Ohio | $38K | -8% | 5,190 |
| Arizona | $38K | -8% | 3,660 |
| North Dakota | $38K | -9% | 1,270 |
| Tennessee | $38K | -9% | 3,420 |
| Texas | $37K | -10% | 13,550 |
| Utah | $37K | -11% | 1,360 |
| New Mexico | $37K | -11% | 1,400 |
| Alabama | $36K | -12% | 2,420 |
| Kentucky | $36K | -13% | 3,190 |
| Mississippi | $36K | -13% | 1,300 |
| West Virginia | $35K | -15% | 1,150 |
| Montana | $35K | -16% | 680 |
| Kansas | $35K | -16% | 1,770 |
| Louisiana | $34K | -18% | 2,290 |
| Oklahoma | $32K | -22% | 2,160 |
| Arkansas | $32K | -23% | 1,230 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track emergency medical technicians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Des Moines-West Des Moines numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
How much do emergency medical technicians make in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?
The median is $43,180 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $33,340, and experienced emergency medical technicians can clear $75,210. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $43K enough to live in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,892/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,318/month, which eats 45.6% 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 emergency medical technicians 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 emergency medical technicians salary is worth about $47,088 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do emergency medical technicians 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.