High paying jobs in Ames, IA

Every occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in Ames, IA. The percentile range matters more than the median on its own: it shows what the bottom and top of each field actually earn, which a single average hides.

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

1Family Medicine Physicians$248,000
Doctoral or professional degree
$155,410 – $590,31060
2Chief Executives$206,090
Bachelor's degree
$94,390 – $338,090110
3Dentists, General$163,950
Doctoral or professional degree
$97,050 – $275,26040
4Pharmacists$139,690
Doctoral or professional degree
$114,540 – $173,07070
5Managers, All Other$138,110
Bachelor's degree
$64,090 – $227,960120
6Human Resources Managers$137,390
Bachelor's degree
$98,810 – $224,65060
7Architectural and Engineering Managers$137,010
Bachelor's degree
$112,120 – $162,47090
8Sales Managers$133,150
Bachelor's degree
$72,450 – $235,760110
9Marketing Managers$132,050
Bachelor's degree
$74,570 – $217,170110
10Computer and Information Systems Managers$131,340
Bachelor's degree
$99,210 – $225,650130
11Software Developers$129,440
Bachelor's degree
$74,990 – $165,040470
12Nurse Practitioners$127,600
Master's degree
$79,660 – $172,14070
13Lawyers$125,200
Doctoral or professional degree
$69,990 – $216,73090
14Financial Managers$124,010
Bachelor's degree
$76,510 – $229,400220
15Veterinarians$118,240
Doctoral or professional degree
$83,020 – $200,18080
16Natural Sciences Managers$116,540
Bachelor's degree
$60,270 – $191,96090
17Industrial Production Managers$113,930
Bachelor's degree
$72,610 – $194,310120
18Information Security Analysts$107,520
Bachelor's degree
$69,090 – $157,39030
19Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$106,520
Master's degree
$78,790 – $160,49090
20Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$105,330
Bachelor's degree
$62,570 – $194,080120
21Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$104,930
High school diploma or equivalent
$67,410 – $157,99060
22Electrical Engineers$103,750
Bachelor's degree
$69,950 – $149,30040
23Medical and Health Services Managers$103,730
Bachelor's degree
$75,070 – $168,120280
24Administrative Services Managers$103,440
Bachelor's degree
$81,620 – $147,49040
25First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$102,930
High school diploma or equivalent
$77,000 – $128,98060
26Computer Network Architects$102,630
Bachelor's degree
$62,200 – $150,87030
27Civil Engineers$100,200
Bachelor's degree
$66,350 – $127,370290
28Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$100,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$76,200 – $111,37040
29Mechanical Engineers$98,610
Bachelor's degree
$70,830 – $137,090120
30General and Operations Managers$97,700
Bachelor's degree
$43,680 – $200,0001,040
31Project Management Specialists$97,290
Bachelor's degree
$62,720 – $149,210260
32Computer Systems Analysts$96,920
Bachelor's degree
$69,360 – $120,030220
33Construction Managers$96,720
Bachelor's degree
$75,140 – $157,600120
34Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$96,560
Bachelor's degree
$53,270 – $131,64040
35Architects, Except Landscape and Naval$95,750
Bachelor's degree
$58,530 – $150,47030
36Engineers, All Other$95,260
Bachelor's degree
$74,950 – $134,19050
37Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$93,720
Doctoral or professional degree
$58,460 – $167,250110
38Computer Occupations, All Other$92,310
Bachelor's degree
$36,720 – $161,530160
39Financial and Investment Analysts$90,650
Bachelor's degree
$51,750 – $133,36040
40Physical Therapists$90,610
Doctoral or professional degree
$67,530 – $119,89070
41Personal Financial Advisors$90,590
Bachelor's degree
$53,670 – $188,80040
42Dental Hygienists$89,130
Associate's degree
$78,610 – $95,16080
43Facilities Managers$88,910
Bachelor's degree
$62,710 – $138,250110
44Industrial Engineers$88,650
Bachelor's degree
$62,910 – $132,690140
45Management Analysts$88,510
Bachelor's degree
$63,330 – $134,560150
46Firefighters$86,010
Postsecondary nondegree award
$38,440 – $86,01060
47Loan Officers$84,470
Bachelor's degree
$56,170 – $157,14070
48Chemists$84,300
Bachelor's degree
$55,710 – $143,21040
49Budget Analysts$84,030
Bachelor's degree
$63,760 – $98,35080
50Speech-Language Pathologists$83,170
Master's degree
$62,740 – $108,36060

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	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$248,000	$155,410 – $590,310	60
2	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$206,090	$94,390 – $338,090	110
3	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$163,950	$97,050 – $275,260	40
4	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$139,690	$114,540 – $173,070	70
5	Managers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$138,110	$64,090 – $227,960	120
6	Human Resources ManagersBachelor's degree	$137,390	$98,810 – $224,650	60
7	Architectural and Engineering ManagersBachelor's degree	$137,010	$112,120 – $162,470	90
8	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$133,150	$72,450 – $235,760	110
9	Marketing ManagersBachelor's degree	$132,050	$74,570 – $217,170	110
10	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$131,340	$99,210 – $225,650	130
11	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$129,440	$74,990 – $165,040	470
12	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$127,600	$79,660 – $172,140	70
13	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$125,200	$69,990 – $216,730	90
14	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$124,010	$76,510 – $229,400	220
15	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$118,240	$83,020 – $200,180	80
16	Natural Sciences ManagersBachelor's degree	$116,540	$60,270 – $191,960	90
17	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$113,930	$72,610 – $194,310	120
18	Information Security AnalystsBachelor's degree	$107,520	$69,090 – $157,390	30
19	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$106,520	$78,790 – $160,490	90
20	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$105,330	$62,570 – $194,080	120
21	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$104,930	$67,410 – $157,990	60
22	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$103,750	$69,950 – $149,300	40
23	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$103,730	$75,070 – $168,120	280
24	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$103,440	$81,620 – $147,490	40
25	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$102,930	$77,000 – $128,980	60
26	Computer Network ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$102,630	$62,200 – $150,870	30
27	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$100,200	$66,350 – $127,370	290
28	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$100,170	$76,200 – $111,370	40
29	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$98,610	$70,830 – $137,090	120
30	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$97,700	$43,680 – $200,000	1,040
31	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$97,290	$62,720 – $149,210	260
32	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$96,920	$69,360 – $120,030	220
33	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$96,720	$75,140 – $157,600	120
34	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$96,560	$53,270 – $131,640	40
35	Architects, Except Landscape and NavalBachelor's degree	$95,750	$58,530 – $150,470	30
36	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$95,260	$74,950 – $134,190	50
37	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$93,720	$58,460 – $167,250	110
38	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$92,310	$36,720 – $161,530	160
39	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$90,650	$51,750 – $133,360	40
40	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$90,610	$67,530 – $119,890	70
41	Personal Financial AdvisorsBachelor's degree	$90,590	$53,670 – $188,800	40
42	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$89,130	$78,610 – $95,160	80
43	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$88,910	$62,710 – $138,250	110
44	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$88,650	$62,910 – $132,690	140
45	Management AnalystsBachelor's degree	$88,510	$63,330 – $134,560	150
46	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$86,010	$38,440 – $86,010	60
47	Loan OfficersBachelor's degree	$84,470	$56,170 – $157,140	70
48	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$84,300	$55,710 – $143,210	40
49	Budget AnalystsBachelor's degree	$84,030	$63,760 – $98,350	80
50	Speech-Language PathologistsMaster's degree	$83,170	$62,740 – $108,360	60

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 jobs in Ames, IA

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