Ames Hourly Wage & Salary 2026
Ames, IA: $24.14/hr median hourly wage, $50,220 median annual salary, cost of living index 92.5, and $7.25/hr minimum wage. Calculate take-home pay with federal and Iowa taxes.
Ames Hourly Wage Quick Answer
The median hourly wage in Ames, IA is $24.14/hr,and the median annual wage is $50,220. Entry-level pay estimates around $14.97/hr, senior-level pay estimates around $34.28/hr, and the local minimum wage is $7.25/hr.
Median figures: BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Ames, IA metropolitan statistical area (55,890 jobs). BLS publishes wages by metro area, not by city, so Ames shares this figure with the rest of its metro. Entry and senior levels are Salario estimates.
Ames salary source review
Reviewed May 26, 2026 for Ames metro and central Iowa university/research labor market context.
Ames wages are influenced by Iowa State University, research, manufacturing, agriculture, insurance, and public-sector employment. A salary of $50,220 in Ames converts to about $41,235 after estimated 2026 federal, FICA, state, and local income taxes before benefits or retirement deductions.
- Separate student/part-time wages from full-time professional offers before judging the city median.
- Iowa income tax and relatively moderate housing costs should both be included in take-home comparisons.
- Research, engineering, education, agriculture, and manufacturing roles are the strongest local benchmarks.
Median Salary
$50,220
$24.14/hr
Cost of Living
92.5
US avg = 100
Minimum Wage
$7.25
per hour
Unemployment
2.3%
rate
Ames, IA Overview
Population
66,427
Median Salary
$50,220
Average Salary
$61,910
Avg Commute
18 min
Median Home Price
$245,000
Median Rent
$1,013/mo
Job Growth
+1.9%
Sales Tax
6%
Ames is located in Iowa with a population of 66,427. The median annual wage across all occupations is $50,220 ($24.14/hour, BLS OEWS May 2025, Ames, IA metro), which is $760 below the national median of $50,980. The national median is the BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations median annual wage. The average commute time is 18 minutes, and the city has a job growth rate of +1.9%.
Ames Salary by Experience Level (2026)
Wage distribution in Ames, IA built around the $50,220 median salary (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Ames, IA metro). Entry-level represents 10th–25th percentile; mid-level is the median; senior-level represents 75th–90th percentile. The non-median rows are Salario estimates.
| Experience Level | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage | Years Exp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-Level | $31,136 | $14.97/hr | 0–2 years |
| Mid-Level (Median) | $50,220 | $24.14/hr | 3–7 years |
| Senior-Level | $71,312 | $34.28/hr | 8–15 years |
| Top 10% (90th Percentile) | $89,392 | $42.97/hr | 15+ years / leadership |
Percentile multipliers (62%, 100%, 142%, 178%) are Salario approximations of the typical all-occupations wage spread in BLS OEWS metro tables; only the median row is a published BLS value. Specific roles vary; see jobs by city for role-specific data.
Ames Paycheck Calculator
Enter your annual salary to see your estimated take-home pay in Ames, IA, after federal, state, and local taxes.
Estimated Annual Take-Home Pay
$41,235
$3,436.27/month · $1,585.97/biweekly · Effective Rate: 17.9%
Biweekly paycheck estimate: this salary equals about $1,585.97 take-home per paycheck after estimated Iowa and federal taxes. For the 26-paycheck formula, three-paycheck months, and withholding examples, see the Biweekly Paycheck Calculator.
Gross Pay
$50,220
Federal Tax
-$3,846
State Tax
-$1,297
Local Tax
$0
FICA
-$3,842
Net Pay
$41,235
Pay Breakdown
| Item | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary | $4,185.00 | $50,220.00 |
| Federal Income Tax | -$320.53 | -$3,846.40 |
| Iowa State Tax (2.58% eff.) | -$108.05 | -$1,296.56 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | -$259.47 | -$3,113.64 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | -$60.68 | -$728.19 |
| Net Take-Home Pay | $3,436.27 | $41,235.21 |
Salary Comparison: Ames vs Other Cities
See how Ames's median salary and cost of living compare to the national average and similar cities.
| City | Median Salary | COL Index | Adj. Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ames, IA | $50,220 | 92.5 | $54,292 |
| National Average | $50,980 | 100 | $50,980 |
| Summerlin South, NV | $50,201 | 101.6 | $49,410 |
| Cincinnati, OH | $50,170 | 90 | $55,744 |
| Hamilton, OH | $50,170 | 93.9 | $53,429 |
| Middletown, OH | $50,170 | 89.2 | $56,244 |
Adjusted salary reflects purchasing power when cost of living is factored in. A higher adjusted salary means your money goes further.
Cost of Living in Ames
Ames's cost of living index is 92.5 (national average = 100). Living in Ames is 7.5% less expensive than the national average.
Median Home Price
$245,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,013
Annual Rent Cost
$12,156
Your Salary's Purchasing Power
Your $41,235 annual take-home pay in Ames has the purchasing power of approximately $44,579 in an average-cost US area. Your $50,220 salary stretches further here than in most US cities.
Top Industries in Ames
Ames's economy is driven by these key industries. Workers in top industries often earn significantly above the median salary of $50,220.
Salary Tips for Ames Workers
- Research top industries. Ames's top industries include Agriculture, Manufacturing, Insurance. Targeting roles in these sectors can help you earn above the $50,220 median salary.
- Review your W-4 withholding. If you regularly receive large tax refunds, adjust your W-4 to increase your per-paycheck take-home pay instead of giving the government an interest-free loan.
Methodology & Local Economy Data Sources
How we calculate Ames salary data: The median annual wage, median hourly wage and mean wage are the official BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations values for the Ames, IA metropolitan statistical area, retrieved from the BLS Public Data API on September 17, 2026. BLS does not publish city-level wages, so every city inside that metro shows the same figure. The entry/senior/top-10% rows, the paycheck estimate and the purchasing-power conversion are Salario calculations built on that median. Cost-of-living adjustments use the C2ER Cost of Living Index baseline of 100 (national average), with Ames indexed at 92.5.
- Median salary: $50,220 annual, $24.14 hourly, BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Ames, IA MSA (55,890 jobs surveyed). Mean wage $61,910 (BLS). Salario's previous modeled median for Ames was $35,784.
- Tax burden reflects Iowa 2026 state income tax brackets and standard deduction (top rate 3.8%) (no local income tax), sales tax (6%), and federal taxes per IRS 2026 brackets.
- Unemployment rate for Ames: 2.3%, sourced from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS).
- Top industries: Agriculture, Manufacturing, Insurance, based on QCEW employment concentration data.
- Job growth: 1.9% projected through 2034, derived from BLS Employment Projections program for Iowa.
- Housing context: median home price $245,000, median rent $1,013/mo, sourced from Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
Authoritative US data sources for Ames, IA:
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), metropolitan area salary data
- BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Ames unemployment rate
- U.S. Census Bureau, Ames QuickFacts, population, housing, demographics
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), county-level industry employment
- BLS Economy at a Glance, Iowa, state economic indicators
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), local GDP and personal income data
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U), regional inflation tracking
Disclaimer: Salary and cost data are estimates for general guidance. Individual compensation varies by employer, experience, education, negotiation, and skills. Ames's rapidly changing economy can shift these baselines, always verify with current job listings, employer offers, and recent Iowa labor market reports for the most current figures.
Reviewed by Harlan Voss · Last updated September 17, 2026 · Wage figures: BLS OEWS May 2025 release (published May 2026) · Census data current as of latest releases
Explore Salaries Across the US
Compare salary data and cost of living for hundreds of US cities. Find out where your paycheck goes the furthest.
Related Salary Tools
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the hourly wage in Ames, IA?
The median hourly wage in Ames, IA is $24.14 per hour, the BLS OEWS May 2025 median for all occupations in the Ames, IA metropolitan area, and the BLS median annual wage is $50,220. Entry-level workers are estimated around $14.97/hr, while senior-level workers are estimated around $34.28/hr before overtime, bonuses, or benefits (Salario estimates, not BLS percentiles).
What is the median salary in Ames, IA?
The median salary in Ames, IA is $50,220 per year, or $24.14 per hour (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Ames, IA metro area). The BLS mean salary is $61,910. This is $760 below the BLS national median of $50,980.
What is the cost of living in Ames, IA?
Ames's cost of living index is 92.5 (national average = 100), meaning it is 7.5% less expensive compared to the national average. The median home price is $245,000 and the median monthly rent is $1,013.
What are the best industries in Ames?
The top industries in Ames, IA include Agriculture, Manufacturing, Insurance. The city has a job growth rate of 1.9% and an unemployment rate of 2.3%. Workers in these industries often earn above the city's median salary of $50,220.
How does Ames's salary compare to other cities?
Ames's median salary of $50,220 is 1.5% below the national median of $50,980. However, when adjusted for cost of living (index: 92.5), the real purchasing power is approximately $54,292.
What is the minimum wage in Ames, IA?
The minimum wage in Ames, IA is $7.25 per hour. This equals approximately $15,080 per year for a full-time worker (40 hours/week). This matches the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hour.