Police Officer Salary in Iowa – How Much Money Can You Make as a Police Officer in Iowa

Police Officer Salary in Iowa is a topic that is generally discussed in forums and blogs. There exists a lot of confusion regarding officers’ salary in various cities of the state. Hence, this report is an attempt to help readers understand the pay scale for police officers in every city and provide some tips for negotiating salary.

INTRODUCTION

When I see a job posting for an Iowa police officer, I have to turn my head and look away. While the average salary of a police officer in this state appears to be a good income, the total compensation package does not include as much as you’d think. Here is an analysis covering every aspect of police officer salary in Iowa.

Police Department Salary in Iowa Comparison by Location

Nationwide

United States

$50,176

Iowa

United States

$46,139

How much does a Police Department make in Iowa?

As of Jun 22, 2022, the average annual pay for the Police Department jobs category in Iowa is $46,140 a year. Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $22.18 an hour. This is the equivalent of $887/week or $3,845/month.

While ZipRecruiter is seeing salaries as high as $91,366 and as low as $20,660, the majority of salaries within the Police Department jobs category currently range between $30,302 (25th percentile) to $54,635 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $67,490 annually in Iowa.

The average pay range for a Police Department job varies greatly (as much as $24,333), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location and years of experience.

Based on recent job posting activity on ZipRecruiter, the Police Department job market in Iowa is not very active as few companies are currently hiring.

Iowa ranks number 23 out of 50 states nationwide for Police Department job salaries.

To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for Police Department jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America.

Find your next high paying job within the Police Department category on ZipRecruiter today.

What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Police Department Jobs in Iowa

We’ve identified 8 cities where the typical salary for a Police Department job is above the average in Iowa. Topping the list is Dubuque, with Sioux City and Des Moines close behind in second and third. Des Moines beats the Iowa average by 6.6%, and Dubuque furthers that trend with another $5,574 (12.1%) above the $46,140.

With only a handful of cities paying above the average for Iowa, the opportunities for economic advancement by moving to a new location in the Police Department jobs category is a decision to make with some caution. Factoring in cost of living expenses should be considered as well.

However, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies modestly at 21% between Dubuque and West Des Moines, suggesting it may be difficult to see much positive wage advancement. The possibility of a lower cost of living may help determine the balance between location and salary for a Police Department role.

CityAnnual SalaryMonthly PayWeekly PayHourly Wage
Dubuque$51,714$4,309$994$24.86
Sioux City$49,577$4,131$953$23.84
Des Moines$49,168$4,097$946$23.64
Ames$48,481$4,040$932$23.31
Davenport$48,441$4,037$932$23.29
Cedar Rapids$46,853$3,904$901$22.53
Iowa City$46,404$3,867$892$22.31
Ankeny$46,144$3,845$887$22.18
Waterloo$44,768$3,731$861$21.52
West Des Moines$41,590$3,466$800$20.00

What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Police Department Jobs in Iowa

We found at least 5 jobs related to the Police Department job category that pay more per year than a typical Police Department salary in Iowa. Top examples of these roles include: Entry Level CIO, Assistant Chief Of Police, and Police Authority.

Importantly, all of these jobs are paid between $20,664 (44.8%) and $56,795 (123.1%) more than the average Police Department salary of $46,140. If you’re qualified, getting hired for one of these related Police Department jobs may help you make more money than that of the average Police Department position.

Job TitleAnnual SalaryMonthly PayWeekly PayHourly Wage
Entry Level CIO$102,934$8,578$1,980$49.49
Assistant Chief Of Police$79,245$6,604$1,524$38.10
Police Authority$68,700$5,725$1,321$33.03
Chief Of Police$67,383$5,615$1,296$32.40
Police Captain$66,803$5,567$1,285$32.12

CONCLUSION

On average, police officers in Iowa make $64,940 a year. It is important to note that this average figure is calculated across all ranks and experience levels. Officers with little or no experience will likely make closer to $40,000 per year, while those with more than 25 years of service will make closer to $90,000 per year.    

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