How much does a firefighter make in Des Moines?

$56,910a year

Median yearly pay for firefighters in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area. That is $27.36 an hour or $4,743 a month.

Hourly: $27.36
Vs. national median: -4%
Rank among cities: 157 of 347
Jobs in the area: 730

Pay range

Lowest 10%: $36,570Median: $56,910Highest 10%: $103,400

Percentile	Yearly	Hourly
10th	$36,570	$17.58
25th	$46,500	$22.36
Median	$56,910	$27.36
75th	$87,720	$42.17
90th	$103,400	$49.70

Other cities in Iowa

Median yearly pay for firefighters.

Ames, IA	$86,010
Cedar Rapids, IA	$61,370
Waterloo, IA	$61,190
Omaha, NE	$61,040
Davenport, IA	$60,080
Sioux City, IA	$60,030
Iowa City, IA	$50,600

Firefighter salary in Iowa Firefighter salary in all states

Related jobs in Des Moines

Same field, median yearly pay.

First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detective	$117,800
First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Worker	$110,200
First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officer	$90,370
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officer	$81,810
Detective and Criminal Investigator	$79,560
Correctional Officer and Jailer	$63,230
Transportation Security Screener	$61,590
First-Line Supervisors of Security Worker	$45,700
Security Guard	$37,550
Lifeguard	$26,480

Salaries for every job in Des Moines, IA

Frequently asked questions

How much does a firefighter make an hour in Des Moines?

The median hourly pay in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area is $27.36 ($56,910 a year).

Do firefighters make more in Des Moines than the national average?

No: $56,910 against $59,280 nationally, 4% less.

How does Des Moines compare with the rest of Iowa?

The median in Iowa is $55,810, so Des Moines pays 2% more.

Where does Des Moines rank for firefighter pay?

157 of 347 metro areas with data.

How much does a firefighter make starting out in Des Moines?

The lowest-paid 10% make $36,570 or less a year; the top 10% make $103,400 or more.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS): pay in May 2025, published by BLS in 2026. Hourly pay is the yearly figure divided by 2,080 hours.