Firefighters Salary in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
Firefighters in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA make a median of $51,580 a year, or about $24.8 an hour. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $104K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.7), which stretches that salary to about $56,249 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,318/month — about 38.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $52K 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.
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Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
Entry-level firefighters (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $52K. Top earners bring in $104K or more, a $67K spread from bottom to top.
Firefighters pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $93K | +57% | 8,000 |
| New York | $88K | +48% | 14,730 |
| New Jersey | $88K | +47% | 6,590 |
| California | $83K | +40% | 27,580 |
| District of Columbia | $79K | +33% | 1,430 |
| Illinois | $79K | +33% | 14,510 |
| Connecticut | $78K | +30% | 2,860 |
| Oregon | $73K | +23% | 3,660 |
| Massachusetts | $73K | +23% | 11,910 |
| Pennsylvania | $71K | +20% | N/A |
| Maryland | $71K | +19% | 5,250 |
| Rhode Island | $69K | +17% | 1,590 |
| Nevada | $67K | +13% | 2,360 |
| Montana | $64K | +8% | 960 |
| Alaska | $63K | +6% | 1,040 |
| Nebraska | $62K | +4% | 1,060 |
| Indiana | $61K | +3% | 8,550 |
| Texas | $61K | +2% | 30,400 |
| Ohio | $59K | -0% | 18,750 |
| Arizona | $59K | -1% | 6,870 |
| Florida | $58K | -2% | 21,470 |
| Virginia | $58K | -2% | 10,820 |
| New Hampshire | $57K | -4% | 2,880 |
| Michigan | $56K | -7% | 7,390 |
| Iowa | $55K | -7% | 2,050 |
| Idaho | $54K | -10% | 2,100 |
| North Dakota | $54K | -10% | 750 |
| Wyoming | $52K | -13% | 680 |
| Utah | $49K | -17% | 2,650 |
| Missouri | $48K | -19% | 6,740 |
| Delaware | $48K | -19% | 450 |
| Wisconsin | $48K | -20% | 8,010 |
| South Dakota | $48K | -20% | 540 |
| Alabama | $47K | -20% | 6,930 |
| Maine | $47K | -20% | 2,390 |
| Tennessee | $47K | -21% | 6,510 |
| Oklahoma | $47K | -21% | 4,110 |
| Vermont | $46K | -23% | 470 |
| Georgia | $46K | -23% | 11,660 |
| South Carolina | $46K | -23% | 7,570 |
| Kansas | $44K | -26% | 3,630 |
| New Mexico | $43K | -28% | 2,200 |
| Arkansas | $42K | -29% | 2,280 |
| Minnesota | $42K | -29% | 4,890 |
| West Virginia | $42K | -30% | 1,040 |
| North Carolina | $37K | -37% | 18,200 |
| Kentucky | $37K | -38% | 5,320 |
| Mississippi | $37K | -38% | 2,630 |
| Louisiana | $34K | -43% | 4,690 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track firefighters salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Des Moines-West Des Moines numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
How much do firefighters make in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?
The median is $51,580 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,810, and experienced firefighters can clear $103,520. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $52K enough to live in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,414/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,318/month, which eats 38.6% 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 firefighters 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 firefighters salary is worth about $56,249 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do firefighters 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.