StateRates

Ames salaries

The median worker in the Ames, IA metro area earned $48,860 a year in 2024, about $23.49 an hour. That ranks #108 of the 391 metro areas published here, 1.3% below the national median.

Iowa

Median pay $48,860 $23.49 per hour
Vs national -1.3% U.S. $49,500
Workers 56,310 wage and salary
Metro rank #108 of 391 by median pay

What this labour market looks like

Ames pays 2.5% more than Iowa as a whole. Metros usually run ahead of their states because they concentrate higher-paying industries, and the gap is a rough measure of how much of a state's economy sits in its cities.

Unusually concentrated here

Occupations against their national share, 2024
Occupation Concentration Employed Median
Business Operations Specialists, All Other 1.76× 730 $64,930
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary 1.6× 800 $28,950
Nursing Assistants 1.5× 760 $39,110
Construction Laborers 1.38× 530 $48,520
Cashiers 1.34× 1,540 $29,170
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 1.22× 980 $34,220
Cooks, Restaurant 1.21× 640 $36,310
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General 1.18× 660 $52,370
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers 1.16× 500 $39,290
Waiters and Waitresses 1.16× 980 $28,660
Stockers and Order Fillers 1.1× 1,120 $36,180
Fast Food and Counter Workers 1.08× 1,490 $28,890

Best paid occupations

Highest median pay in Ames
Occupation Median Hourly Employed
Software Developers $127,040 $61.08 440
Financial Managers $120,000 $57.69 230
Civil Engineers $101,290 $48.70 270
Medical and Health Services Managers $99,850 $48.01 260
Computer Systems Analysts $92,100 $44.28 200
General and Operations Managers $85,550 $41.13 1,150
Project Management Specialists $83,870 $40.32 300
Computer Network Support Specialists $80,050 $38.48 200
Accountants and Auditors $76,250 $36.66 560
First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers $75,910 $36.49 270
Registered Nurses $72,920 $35.06 1,100
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products $72,730 $34.97 430
Human Resources Specialists $68,990 $33.17 250
First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers $67,220 $32.32 310
Business Operations Specialists, All Other $64,930 $31.22 730
Electricians $64,360 $30.94 220
Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel $62,870 $30.23 210
Computer User Support Specialists $62,130 $29.87 360
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators $61,540 $29.59 220
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists $61,440 $29.54 260
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers $60,980 $29.32 200
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers $60,970 $29.31 310
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $60,340 n/a 350
Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $60,180 n/a 300
Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers $59,950 $28.82 220
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education $59,690 n/a 410
Public Relations Specialists $59,490 $28.60 260
Carpenters $57,170 $27.49 250
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $53,530 $25.74 670
Biological Technicians $52,670 $25.32 200
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics $52,460 $25.22 280
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General $52,370 $25.18 660
Bus Drivers, School $52,020 $25.01 210
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers $49,310 $23.71 260
Veterinary Technologists and Technicians $48,800 $23.46 260
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors $48,570 $23.35 400
Construction Laborers $48,520 $23.33 530
Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic $48,150 $23.15 200
Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders $47,630 $22.90 320
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive $47,480 $22.83 630
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks $47,370 $22.78 430
Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators $47,250 $22.72 350
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers $46,130 $22.18 360
Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks $44,910 $21.59 230
Office Clerks, General $41,730 $20.06 810
Light Truck Drivers $40,090 $19.27 200
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $39,290 $18.89 500
Home Health and Personal Care Aides $39,220 $18.86 820
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand $39,180 $18.84 660
Nursing Assistants $39,110 $18.81 760
Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants $38,950 $18.73 420
Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers $38,840 $18.67 380
Customer Service Representatives $38,550 $18.53 600
Animal Caretakers $37,050 $17.81 220
Social and Human Service Assistants $37,000 $17.79 200
Cooks, Restaurant $36,310 $17.46 640
Stockers and Order Fillers $36,180 $17.39 1,120
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria $35,330 $16.99 350
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners $34,220 $16.45 980
Retail Salespersons $30,330 $14.58 1,350

Where most people work

Largest occupations in Ames by employment
Occupation Employed Median Hourly
Cashiers 1,540 $29,170 $14.02
Fast Food and Counter Workers 1,490 $28,890 $13.89
Retail Salespersons 1,350 $30,330 $14.58
General and Operations Managers 1,150 $85,550 $41.13
Stockers and Order Fillers 1,120 $36,180 $17.39
Registered Nurses 1,100 $72,920 $35.06
Waiters and Waitresses 980 $28,660 $13.78
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 980 $34,220 $16.45
Home Health and Personal Care Aides 820 $39,220 $18.86
Office Clerks, General 810 $41,730 $20.06
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary 800 $28,950 n/a
Nursing Assistants 760 $39,110 $18.81
Business Operations Specialists, All Other 730 $64,930 $31.22
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers 670 $53,530 $25.74
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General 660 $52,370 $25.18
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand 660 $39,180 $18.84
Cooks, Restaurant 640 $36,310 $17.46
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive 630 $47,480 $22.83
Customer Service Representatives 600 $38,550 $18.53
Accountants and Auditors 560 $76,250 $36.66

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 state estimates. Wage and salary workers only, excluding the self-employed.

Other Iowa metro areas

Ames pay: common questions

What is the average salary in Ames?

The median across all occupations is $48,860, or $23.49 an hour, covering 56,310 wage and salary workers. The mean is $60,360, higher because a small number of very large salaries pull an average upward.

Does Ames pay more than the rest of Iowa?

Yes. The metro median of $48,860 is 2.5% above the Iowa median of $47,670. Metropolitan areas usually pay more than their states because they concentrate higher-paying industries, and usually cost more to live in for the same reason.

Which jobs pay best in Ames?

Software Developers ($127,040), Financial Managers ($120,000), Civil Engineers ($101,290). Medical specialities top nearly every metro list, which reflects how the occupations are classified more than local conditions.

What is Ames unusually full of?

Business Operations Specialists, All Other, at 1.76× the national concentration. Location quotient is a better description of a local economy than its biggest employers, which are retail and food service almost everywhere.