DSM
Des Moines Tower
FAA Control Tower and Approach Control Des Moines, Iowa
Facility Information
| Facility Overview | |
|---|---|
| Identifier | DSM |
| Facility Name | Des Moines Tower |
| Airport Name | Des Moines Intl |
| Type | Tower and Approach Control |
| Leveli | Level 7 |
| Core 30 Airporti | No |
| Airspace & Operations | |
|---|---|
| Hours of Operationi | 0000-2359 (always open) |
| Airspace Class | Class C |
| Overlying ARTCC | ZMP |
| Airport Diagram | View Airport Diagram (PDF) |
| Location & Contact | |
|---|---|
| Address | 3000 McKinley Ave Des Moines, IA 50321 |
| Phone Number | 515-974-8010 |
Salary Information
2026 Pay for Des Moines Tower
| Career Leveli | Hourly Min. | Hourly Max. | Salary Min. | Salary Max.i |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPC | $47.92 | $64.69 | $100,014 | $135,018 |
| D3 | $42.59 | $47.92 | $88,887 | $100,014 |
| D2 | $37.26 | $42.59 | $77,757 | $88,887 |
| AG | $26.59 | $26.59 | $55,495 | $55,495 |
| Includes everything except premium pay. | ||||
ATC pay has stalled over the past decade. Marangos & Brown are on a mission to increase pay.
| Pay Factors | |
|---|---|
| Facility Leveli | Level 7 |
| Locality Area | Des Moines |
| Locality Payi | 18.01% |
| Local Affordability | |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living Indexi | 91.7 (8.3% below avg) |
| Cost-Adjusted CPC Mini | $109,067 |
Staffing and Training
| Staffing Information, April 2026 | |
|---|---|
| CPCs on Boardi | 19 CPCs |
| 2026 TRB Targeti | 20 CPCs |
| 2026 TRB Staffingi | 95% |
| CRWG Targeti | 38 CPCs |
|
Number of Trainees
Click to view breakdown
|
12 trainees |
| ↳ Academy Graduates | 2 |
| ↳ Developmental 2 | 3 |
| ↳ Developmental 3 | 3 |
| ↳ CPC-IT 0 (Transfer) | 2 |
| ↳ CPC-IT 2 (Transfer) | 2 |
| Current CRWG Staffingi | 50% |
|
Projected CRWG Staffingi
Click to view components
|
72% |
| ↳ Est. Trainee Certifications | + 9.3 |
| ↳ Committed Inbounds | + 1 |
| ↳ Projected Retirements/Losses | - 1.8 |
| Training Information, April 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Training Time (Avg)i | 1.66 years |
| ↳ New Hires | 1.87 years |
| ↳ Transfers (CPC-IT) | 1.02 years |
| Training Success Rate (Avg)i | 78% |
| ↳ New Hires | 76% |
| ↳ Transfers (CPC-IT) | 84% |
| Travel Days from Academyi | 2 days |
Historical Trends
DSM Staffing Percentages
DSM Personnel Counts
DSM Training Metrics
Traffic
| May 2025 - April 2026 (12 Months) | |
|---|---|
| Tower Operations | 104,418 operations/year |
| TRACON Operations | 119,458 operations/year |
| Total Operations | 223,876 operations/year |
| Average Daily Operations | 613 operations/day |
| Peer Group Median (Lvl 7 Up/Down) |
206,248 operations/year |
| Relative Workloadi | +8.5% vs peer median |
Traffic History
NCEPT
| Current NCEPT Metrics | |
|---|---|
| Possible Lossesi Apr 2026 |
0 |
| Expected Staffing (12-Month)i Apr 2026 |
66.3% |
| Possible Gains to National Avgi Apr 2026 |
7 |
| Priority / Draft Orderi Mar 2026 |
#97 |
| Inbound ERRs on Filei Feb 2026 |
4 |
| Employees with Outbound ERRsi Feb 2026 |
0 (0%) |
NCEPT is the centralized system for managing controller-requested transfers between facilities. Transfer requests are only approved based upon a set of complex metrics that attempt to balance the distribution of the workforce.
Demand Trends
NCEPT Priority
Administration
| Organizational Structure | |
|---|---|
| Service Area | Central |
| District | Minneapolis |
| HR Region | Great Lakes |