Paramedics Salary in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
The median pay for a paramedics in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA is $49,290/year ($23.7/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $63K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.7), which stretches that salary to about $53,751 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,318/month — about 39.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $49K 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 paramedics
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Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
Entry-level paramedics (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $49K. Top earners bring in $63K or more, a $28K spread from bottom to top.
Paramedics pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $101K | +73% | 2,120 |
| District of Columbia | $81K | +39% | N/A |
| New Jersey | $80K | +37% | 620 |
| Connecticut | $75K | +29% | 1,010 |
| Oregon | $73K | +26% | 1,100 |
| California | $72K | +24% | 6,090 |
| Alaska | $68K | +17% | 230 |
| Minnesota | $68K | +16% | 1,720 |
| Maryland | $68K | +16% | 1,400 |
| New York | $66K | +14% | 5,820 |
| Massachusetts | $64K | +10% | 1,880 |
| Rhode Island | $64K | +9% | 150 |
| Utah | $63K | +9% | 990 |
| Idaho | $63K | +7% | 470 |
| Delaware | $62K | +6% | 320 |
| Wyoming | $62K | +5% | 260 |
| New Hampshire | $61K | +4% | 400 |
| Nevada | $60K | +3% | 910 |
| North Dakota | $60K | +3% | 180 |
| Maine | $60K | +2% | 500 |
| Illinois | $59K | +1% | 4,680 |
| Florida | $59K | +1% | 6,530 |
| Virginia | $59K | +0% | 1,690 |
| Indiana | $58K | -0% | 2,130 |
| Pennsylvania | $58K | -1% | 4,070 |
| Wisconsin | $56K | -4% | 1,910 |
| Missouri | $56K | -5% | 2,800 |
| Nebraska | $54K | -7% | 460 |
| Texas | $54K | -8% | 8,560 |
| Iowa | $53K | -8% | 1,110 |
| Vermont | $53K | -9% | 230 |
| Tennessee | $53K | -10% | 3,320 |
| Georgia | $52K | -11% | 3,600 |
| Mississippi | $51K | -12% | 1,160 |
| North Carolina | $51K | -12% | 5,330 |
| Arizona | $51K | -13% | 1,820 |
| Louisiana | $51K | -13% | 2,090 |
| New Mexico | $50K | -14% | 850 |
| Michigan | $50K | -14% | 2,710 |
| South Carolina | $50K | -14% | 2,100 |
| Montana | $49K | -15% | 400 |
| Kansas | $49K | -16% | 1,120 |
| West Virginia | $48K | -17% | 1,130 |
| South Dakota | $48K | -18% | 340 |
| Ohio | $48K | -18% | 4,090 |
| Oklahoma | $48K | -18% | 1,510 |
| Kentucky | $48K | -18% | 2,060 |
| Arkansas | $46K | -22% | 1,070 |
| Alabama | $45K | -23% | 1,890 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track paramedics 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 paramedics make in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?
The median is $49,290 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,510, and experienced paramedics can clear $62,510. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $49K enough to live in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,272/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,318/month, which eats 40.3% 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 paramedics 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 paramedics salary is worth about $53,751 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do paramedics 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.