High paying entry level jobs in Ames, IA

These occupations in Ames, IA ask for no prior experience in a related job and no on-the-job training period: you are expected to be productive on arrival. That is precisely why most of them want a specific qualification instead — the credential does the work the experience would have. Read the line under each title for what that qualification is; several here are doctorates. If you need something you can start without one, use the no-experience list.

Cost of living: prices in Ames, IA run 11.2% below the national average (2024), so a Ames, IA salary is worth about 1.13× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order.

Local wage estimates are suppressed more often than state ones — BLS withholds any figure too few local employers report — so an occupation missing here simply has no published local estimate.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in Ames, IA

OccupationMedian, Ames, IA · Employed

1Dentists, General$163,950
Doctoral or professional degree
$97,050 – $275,26040
2Pharmacists$139,690
Doctoral or professional degree
$114,540 – $173,07070
3Software Developers$129,440
Bachelor's degree
$74,990 – $165,040470
4Nurse Practitioners$127,600
Master's degree
$79,660 – $172,14070
5Lawyers$125,200
Doctoral or professional degree
$69,990 – $216,73090
6Veterinarians$118,240
Doctoral or professional degree
$83,020 – $200,18080
7Electrical Engineers$103,750
Bachelor's degree
$69,950 – $149,30040
8Civil Engineers$100,200
Bachelor's degree
$66,350 – $127,370290
9Mechanical Engineers$98,610
Bachelor's degree
$70,830 – $137,090120
10Project Management Specialists$97,290
Bachelor's degree
$62,720 – $149,210260
11Computer Systems Analysts$96,920
Bachelor's degree
$69,360 – $120,030220
12Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$96,560
Bachelor's degree
$53,270 – $131,64040
13Engineers, All Other$95,260
Bachelor's degree
$74,950 – $134,19050
14Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$93,720
Doctoral or professional degree
$58,460 – $167,250110
15Computer Occupations, All Other$92,310
Bachelor's degree
$36,720 – $161,530160
16Financial and Investment Analysts$90,650
Bachelor's degree
$51,750 – $133,36040
17Physical Therapists$90,610
Doctoral or professional degree
$67,530 – $119,89070
18Dental Hygienists$89,130
Associate's degree
$78,610 – $95,16080
19Industrial Engineers$88,650
Bachelor's degree
$62,910 – $132,690140
20Chemists$84,300
Bachelor's degree
$55,710 – $143,21040
21Budget Analysts$84,030
Bachelor's degree
$63,760 – $98,35080
22Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$82,970
Bachelor's degree
$67,770 – $116,03070
23Biological Scientists, All Other$82,720
Bachelor's degree
$73,920 – $117,440160
24Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$82,110
Associate's degree
$69,580 – $102,38030
25Fundraisers$80,430
Bachelor's degree
$46,320 – $135,42080
26Data Scientists$79,430
Bachelor's degree
$61,280 – $135,260100
27Accountants and Auditors$79,320
Bachelor's degree
$52,370 – $126,450530
28Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$79,210
Associate's degree
$55,100 – $90,570150
29Network and Computer Systems Administrators$78,030
Bachelor's degree
$58,980 – $134,25090
30Computer Programmers$77,720
Bachelor's degree
$60,080 – $129,72030
31Registered Nurses$77,160
Bachelor's degree
$64,360 – $99,4401,070
32Business Operations Specialists, All Other$76,510
Bachelor's degree
$49,910 – $104,380710
33Logisticians$75,620
Bachelor's degree
$48,920 – $107,87080
34Occupational Therapists$73,810
Master's degree
$62,660 – $99,84040
35Human Resources Specialists$70,060
Bachelor's degree
$48,610 – $106,020260
36Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$66,760
Associate's degree
$50,260 – $82,53090
37Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$65,610
Postsecondary nondegree award
$51,420 – $78,050190
38Soil and Plant Scientists$65,080
Bachelor's degree
$50,210 – $130,160130
39Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other$65,020
Associate's degree
$48,180 – $85,24050
40Architectural and Civil Drafters$63,620
Associate's degree
$46,550 – $104,53050
41Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$63,480
Bachelor's degree
$48,790 – $81,28070
42Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$63,450
Bachelor's degree
$48,450 – $81,930310
43Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$63,200
Bachelor's degree
$47,580 – $80,760250
44Public Relations Specialists$62,970
Bachelor's degree
$50,740 – $102,670250
45Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$62,430
Bachelor's degree
$48,830 – $80,340440
46Physical Therapist Assistants$62,040
Associate's degree
$50,190 – $73,77030
47Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$61,100
Bachelor's degree
$40,370 – $102,140380
48Farm and Home Management Educators$60,840
Master's degree
$46,160 – $82,690100
49Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$60,610
Master's degree
$41,210 – $78,36090
50Graphic Designers$57,060
Bachelor's degree
$38,440 – $77,010110

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianAmes, IA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$163,950	$97,050 – $275,260	40
2	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$139,690	$114,540 – $173,070	70
3	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$129,440	$74,990 – $165,040	470
4	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$127,600	$79,660 – $172,140	70
5	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$125,200	$69,990 – $216,730	90
6	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$118,240	$83,020 – $200,180	80
7	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$103,750	$69,950 – $149,300	40
8	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$100,200	$66,350 – $127,370	290
9	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$98,610	$70,830 – $137,090	120
10	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$97,290	$62,720 – $149,210	260
11	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$96,920	$69,360 – $120,030	220
12	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$96,560	$53,270 – $131,640	40
13	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$95,260	$74,950 – $134,190	50
14	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$93,720	$58,460 – $167,250	110
15	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$92,310	$36,720 – $161,530	160
16	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$90,650	$51,750 – $133,360	40
17	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$90,610	$67,530 – $119,890	70
18	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$89,130	$78,610 – $95,160	80
19	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$88,650	$62,910 – $132,690	140
20	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$84,300	$55,710 – $143,210	40
21	Budget AnalystsBachelor's degree	$84,030	$63,760 – $98,350	80
22	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$82,970	$67,770 – $116,030	70
23	Biological Scientists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$82,720	$73,920 – $117,440	160
24	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$82,110	$69,580 – $102,380	30
25	FundraisersBachelor's degree	$80,430	$46,320 – $135,420	80
26	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$79,430	$61,280 – $135,260	100
27	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$79,320	$52,370 – $126,450	530
28	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$79,210	$55,100 – $90,570	150
29	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$78,030	$58,980 – $134,250	90
30	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$77,720	$60,080 – $129,720	30
31	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$77,160	$64,360 – $99,440	1,070
32	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$76,510	$49,910 – $104,380	710
33	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$75,620	$48,920 – $107,870	80
34	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$73,810	$62,660 – $99,840	40
35	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$70,060	$48,610 – $106,020	260
36	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$66,760	$50,260 – $82,530	90
37	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$65,610	$51,420 – $78,050	190
38	Soil and Plant ScientistsBachelor's degree	$65,080	$50,210 – $130,160	130
39	Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All OtherAssociate's degree	$65,020	$48,180 – $85,240	50
40	Architectural and Civil DraftersAssociate's degree	$63,620	$46,550 – $104,530	50
41	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$63,480	$48,790 – $81,280	70
42	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$63,450	$48,450 – $81,930	310
43	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$63,200	$47,580 – $80,760	250
44	Public Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$62,970	$50,740 – $102,670	250
45	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$62,430	$48,830 – $80,340	440
46	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$62,040	$50,190 – $73,770	30
47	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$61,100	$40,370 – $102,140	380
48	Farm and Home Management EducatorsMaster's degree	$60,840	$46,160 – $82,690	100
49	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$60,610	$41,210 – $78,360	90
50	Graphic DesignersBachelor's degree	$57,060	$38,440 – $77,010	110

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Ames, IA. The rarer ones are real jobs — but a 1,190-person occupation at the top of a list answers a different question than the one most readers are asking.

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The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Ames, IA to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in Ames, IA

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