Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers pay in Iowa
$76,280avg. a year
$36.67 an hour · 5,130 employed
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers in Iowa earn an average of $76,280 a year. That is $2,920 (4%) less than the U.S. average of $79,200. The best-paying metro area is Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA at $83,530.
$74,470Median pay
$36.67Average hourly
+23%Avg. pay since 2020
#23Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying Iowa metro areas
Average pay for police and sheriff's patrol officers by metro area. Swipe to see all 9.
11,240 jobs
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
$83,530
$40.16 an hour
21,640 jobs
Omaha, NE-IA
$81,650
$39.25 an hour
3320 jobs
Iowa City, IA
$78,010
$37.50 an hour
4310 jobs
Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
$77,900
$37.45 an hour
5170 jobs
Dubuque, IA
$76,530
$36.80 an hour
6450 jobs
Cedar Rapids, IA
$76,150
$36.61 an hour
7220 jobs
Sioux City, IA-NE-SD
$75,270
$36.19 an hour
8150 jobs
Ames, IA
$71,020
$34.14 an hour
9690 jobs
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL
$69,460
$33.40 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers pay in Iowa, charted
Pay over time
Iowa, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where Iowa police and sheriff's patrol officers work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · Iowa highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $63k$63k–$75k$75k–$85k$85k+Iowa
Iowa vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $79,200 | $38.08 |
| Iowa | $76,280 | $36.67 |
| Illinois | $92,450 | $44.45 |
| Minnesota | $85,130 | $40.93 |
| Wisconsin | $76,560 | $36.81 |
| Nebraska | $75,290 | $36.20 |
| South Dakota | $64,320 | $30.93 |
Related jobs in Iowa
- Correctional Officers and Jailers$57,140
- Security Guards$42,220
- Firefighters$57,240
- Detectives and Criminal Investigators$87,110
- Bailiffs$52,640
- Parking Enforcement Workers$45,360
Average pay, Iowa, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do police and sheriff's patrol officers make in Iowa?
The average is $76,280 a year, and the median is $74,470. That is $2,920 (4%) less than the U.S. average of $79,200.
What is the hourly wage in Iowa?
$36.67 an hour on average; the median is $35.81.
Where in Iowa do they earn the most?
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA ($83,530), followed by Omaha, NE-IA ($81,650). The lowest average among 9 metro areas with data is Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL ($69,460).
How does Iowa rank?
Iowa ranks #23 of 51 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 33-3051. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national police and sheriff's patrol officers page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.