What is the median wage in Ames?

The median wage for all occupations in the Ames, IA area is $50,220 a year, compared with $48,540 a year for Iowa (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025).

What is the highest paying job in Ames?

Among occupations with at least 50 jobs, family medicine physicians have the highest median wage at $248,000 a year.

Checked Oct 23, 2026

Ames, IA Wages

Pay for every occupation in the Ames, IA metropolitan area from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025).

Median wage: $50,220 a year; All occupations
Iowa median: $48,540 a year
Employment: 55,890; Wage and salary jobs
Occupations with data: 247

Pay range in Ames, IA

All occupations: 10th to 90th percentile, middle half shaded

10%: $29,070Median: $50,22090%: $104,180

Highest paying occupations

Occupations with at least 50 jobs here

Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.

#	Occupation	Employment	Median wage	Mean wage
1	Family Medicine Physicians	60	$248,000	$320,880
2	Chief Executives	110	$206,090	$222,990
3	Pharmacists	70	$139,690	$138,250
4	Managers, All Other	120	$138,110	$137,820
5	Human Resources Managers	60	$137,390	$154,530
6	Architectural and Engineering Managers	90	$137,010	$139,740
7	Sales Managers	110	$133,150	$145,890
8	Marketing Managers	110	$132,050	$142,150
9	Computer and Information Systems Managers	130	$131,340	$147,790
10	Software Developers	470	$129,440	$126,610
11	Nurse Practitioners	70	$127,600	$130,780
12	Lawyers	90	$125,200	$130,550
13	Financial Managers	220	$124,010	$142,550
14	Veterinarians	80	$118,240	$128,990
15	Natural Sciences Managers	90	$116,540	$126,990

Most common occupations

Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.

#	Occupation	Employment	Median wage	Mean wage
1	Fast Food and Counter Workers	1,620	$29,220	$29,560
2	Cashiers	1,470	$29,230	$30,470
3	Retail Salespersons	1,460	$32,460	$35,090
4	Stockers and Order Fillers	1,110	$36,240	$38,070
5	Registered Nurses	1,070	$77,160	$76,910
6	General and Operations Managers	1,040	$97,700	$112,350
7	Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners	1,030	$35,300	$36,360
8	Waiters and Waitresses	1,010	$22,710	$29,250
9	Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary	780	$30,420	$30,720
10	Nursing Assistants	770	$43,540	$42,980
11	Business Operations Specialists, All Other	710	$76,510	$78,250
12	Office Clerks, General	710	$45,450	$45,740
13	Home Health and Personal Care Aides	700	$35,660	$37,000
14	Customer Service Representatives	690	$42,820	$45,450
15	Maintenance and Repair Workers, General	670	$54,770	$55,020

Jobs concentrated here

Highest location quotient: the share of jobs compared with the U.S. (2.0 = twice the national share)

Lowest paying occupations

Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.

Occupation	Employment	Median wage	Mean wage
Bartenders	450	$21,580	$24,890
Waiters and Waitresses	1,010	$22,710	$29,250
Amusement and Recreation Attendants	110	$27,100	$27,430
Childcare Workers	260	$27,850	$28,880
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop	140	$28,480	$30,780
Driver/Sales Workers	130	$28,760	$35,030
Fast Food and Counter Workers	1,620	$29,220	$29,560
Cashiers	1,470	$29,230	$30,470
Self-Enrichment Teachers	190	$29,570	$34,920
Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers	110	$29,630	$27,930

Every occupation in Ames, IA

Median wage by occupation group

Management Occupations (21)

Administrative Services Managers$103,440 a year
Architectural and Engineering Managers$137,010 a year
Chief Executives$206,090 a year
Computer and Information Systems Managers$131,340 a year
Construction Managers$96,720 a year
Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$106,520 a year
Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare$47,660 a year
Facilities Managers$88,910 a year
Financial Managers$124,010 a year
Food Service Managers$62,590 a year
General and Operations Managers$97,700 a year
Human Resources Managers$137,390 a year
Industrial Production Managers$113,930 a year
Managers, All Other$138,110 a year
Marketing Managers$132,050 a year
Medical and Health Services Managers$103,730 a year
Natural Sciences Managers$116,540 a year
Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers$55,600 a year
Sales Managers$133,150 a year
Social and Community Service Managers$63,770 a year
Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$104,930 a year

Business and Financial Operations Occupations (18)

Accountants and Auditors$79,320 a year
Budget Analysts$84,030 a year
Business Operations Specialists, All Other$76,510 a year
Buyers and Purchasing Agents$68,880 a year
Compliance Officers$80,370 a year
Cost Estimators$76,920 a year
Financial and Investment Analysts$90,650 a year
Fundraisers$80,430 a year
Human Resources Specialists$70,060 a year
Loan Officers$84,470 a year
Logisticians$75,620 a year
Management Analysts$88,510 a year
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$61,100 a year
Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners$47,980 a year
Personal Financial Advisors$90,590 a year
Project Management Specialists$97,290 a year
Property Appraisers and Assessors$78,480 a year
Training and Development Specialists$67,860 a year

Computer and Mathematical Occupations (11)

Computer Network Architects$102,630 a year
Computer Network Support Specialists$82,360 a year
Computer Occupations, All Other$92,310 a year
Computer Programmers$77,720 a year
Computer Systems Analysts$96,920 a year
Computer User Support Specialists$63,830 a year
Data Scientists$79,430 a year
Information Security Analysts$107,520 a year
Network and Computer Systems Administrators$78,030 a year
Software Developers$129,440 a year
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$96,560 a year

Architecture and Engineering Occupations (8)

Architects, Except Landscape and Naval$95,750 a year
Architectural and Civil Drafters$63,620 a year
Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$79,210 a year
Civil Engineers$100,200 a year
Electrical Engineers$103,750 a year
Engineers, All Other$95,260 a year
Industrial Engineers$88,650 a year
Mechanical Engineers$98,610 a year

Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations (7)

Agricultural Technicians$48,430 a year
Biological Scientists, All Other$82,720 a year
Chemists$84,300 a year
Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other$65,020 a year
Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$93,720 a year
Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$82,970 a year
Soil and Plant Scientists$65,080 a year

Community and Social Service Occupations (5)

Child, Family, and School Social Workers$46,370 a year
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$50,260 a year
Healthcare Social Workers$61,760 a year
Social and Human Service Assistants$38,240 a year
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$69,750 a year

Legal Occupations (2)

Lawyers$125,200 a year
Paralegals and Legal Assistants$53,180 a year

Educational Instruction and Library Occupations (12)

Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$62,430 a year
Farm and Home Management Educators$60,840 a year
Instructional Coordinators$69,490 a year
Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$60,610 a year
Library Technicians$45,880 a year
Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$63,200 a year
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education$30,590 a year
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$63,450 a year
Self-Enrichment Teachers$29,570 a year
Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$63,480 a year
Substitute Teachers, Short-Term$36,330 a year
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary$30,420 a year

Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations (4)

Coaches and Scouts$36,740 a year
Graphic Designers$57,060 a year
Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers$36,720 a year
Public Relations Specialists$62,970 a year

Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations (22)

Chiropractors$56,890 a year
Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$56,380 a year
Dental Hygienists$89,130 a year
Dentists, General$163,950 a year
Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$82,110 a year
Emergency Medical Technicians$46,000 a year
Family Medicine Physicians$248,000 a year
Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other$48,060 a year
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$65,610 a year
Medical Records Specialists$49,850 a year
Nurse Practitioners$127,600 a year
Occupational Therapists$73,810 a year
Opticians, Dispensing$40,860 a year
Paramedics$62,920 a year
Pharmacists$139,690 a year
Pharmacy Technicians$39,310 a year
Physical Therapists$90,610 a year
Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$66,760 a year
Registered Nurses$77,160 a year
Speech-Language Pathologists$83,170 a year
Veterinarians$118,240 a year
Veterinary Technologists and Technicians$50,730 a year

Healthcare Support Occupations (7)

Dental Assistants$49,140 a year
Home Health and Personal Care Aides$35,660 a year
Medical Assistants$45,810 a year
Nursing Assistants$43,540 a year
Phlebotomists$38,240 a year
Physical Therapist Assistants$62,040 a year
Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers$38,300 a year

Protective Service Occupations (6)

Correctional Officers and Jailers$58,410 a year
Firefighters$86,010 a year
First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$102,930 a year
Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers$23,640 a year
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$73,840 a year
Security Guards$37,430 a year

Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations (13)

Bartenders$21,580 a year
Chefs and Head Cooks$51,360 a year
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria$36,540 a year
Cooks, Restaurant$36,410 a year
Cooks, Short Order$36,070 a year
Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers$29,630 a year
Dishwashers$30,110 a year
Fast Food and Counter Workers$29,220 a year
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$39,710 a year
Food Preparation Workers$29,900 a year
Food Servers, Nonrestaurant$31,840 a year
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop$28,480 a year
Waiters and Waitresses$22,710 a year

Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance Occupations (5)

First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers$46,540 a year
First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers$57,360 a year
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners$35,300 a year
Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers$44,580 a year
Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners$32,830 a year

Personal Care and Service Occupations (9)

Amusement and Recreation Attendants$27,100 a year
Animal Caretakers$38,700 a year
Childcare Workers$27,850 a year
Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors$32,150 a year
First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling Services$43,830 a year
Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists$36,170 a year
Recreation Workers$31,110 a year
Residential Advisors$48,230 a year
Skincare SpecialistsNot reported

Sales and Related Occupations (12)

Cashiers$29,230 a year
Counter and Rental Clerks$38,780 a year
First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$80,990 a year
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers$48,300 a year
Insurance Sales Agents$63,400 a year
Parts Salespersons$40,540 a year
Real Estate Brokers$41,440 a year
Retail Salespersons$32,460 a year
Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel$63,230 a year
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products$68,680 a year
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$105,330 a year
Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents$62,050 a year

Office and Administrative Support Occupations (25)

Billing and Posting Clerks$47,050 a year
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks$47,970 a year
Court, Municipal, and License Clerks$57,800 a year
Customer Service Representatives$42,820 a year
Data Entry Keyers$45,140 a year
Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance$48,680 a year
Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants$61,990 a year
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers$66,420 a year
Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping$45,200 a year
Information and Record Clerks, All Other$53,710 a year
Library Assistants, Clerical$30,070 a year
Loan Interviewers and Clerks$57,580 a year
Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants$40,210 a year
New Accounts Clerks$47,870 a year
Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other$48,320 a year
Office Clerks, General$45,450 a year
Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks$56,920 a year
Postal Service Clerks$58,470 a year
Postal Service Mail Carriers$60,840 a year
Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks$60,800 a year
Public Safety Telecommunicators$58,610 a year
Receptionists and Information Clerks$35,170 a year
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive$48,740 a year
Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks$47,840 a year
Tellers$43,060 a year

Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Occupations (1)

Agricultural Equipment Operators$47,610 a year

Construction and Extraction Occupations (11)

Carpenters$55,640 a year
Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$58,230 a year
Construction and Building Inspectors$79,740 a year
Construction Laborers$49,810 a year
Electricians$63,320 a year
First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$72,260 a year
Highway Maintenance Workers$60,980 a year
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$62,400 a year
Painters, Construction and Maintenance$44,780 a year
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$63,820 a year
Sheet Metal Workers$64,420 a year

Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations (13)

Automotive Body and Related Repairers$58,790 a year
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics$58,820 a year
Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists$61,360 a year
Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door$83,010 a year
Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$100,170 a year
Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians$63,490 a year
First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers$79,080 a year
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$60,430 a year
Industrial Machinery Mechanics$67,250 a year
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other$54,950 a year
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General$54,770 a year
Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$64,940 a year
Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$65,470 a year

Production Occupations (22)

Bakers$36,520 a year
Butchers and Meat Cutters$36,110 a year
Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders$62,300 a year
Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$69,090 a year
Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$47,330 a year
Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$39,080 a year
First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$74,160 a year
Food Batchmakers$50,950 a year
Food Processing Workers, All Other$43,520 a year
Helpers--Production Workers$39,070 a year
Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$61,820 a year
Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers$34,790 a year
Machinists$60,200 a year
Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$49,360 a year
Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$52,020 a year
Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$49,670 a year
Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$48,250 a year
Prepress Technicians and Workers$54,460 a year
Printing Press Operators$46,850 a year
Production Workers, All Other$70,690 a year
Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$61,730 a year
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$58,560 a year

Transportation and Material Moving Occupations (13)

Bus Drivers, School$54,780 a year
Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment$36,390 a year
Driver/Sales Workers$28,760 a year
First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling$58,270 a year
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers$54,510 a year
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators$48,310 a year
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$40,280 a year
Light Truck Drivers$40,050 a year
Packers and Packagers, Hand$34,490 a year
Parking Attendants$31,070 a year
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors$47,810 a year
Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs$31,670 a year
Stockers and Order Fillers$36,240 a year

Frequently asked questions

What is the median wage in Ames?: The median wage for all occupations in the Ames, IA area is $50,220 a year, compared with $48,540 a year for Iowa (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025).
What is the highest paying job in Ames?: Among occupations with at least 50 jobs, family medicine physicians have the highest median wage at $248,000 a year.

Data sources

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

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More jobs data for this state

All of Iowa

About this data

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Wage estimates come from employer surveys and exclude the self-employed. They describe typical pay, not what any one employer pays.

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