Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Ames, IA

Each occupation's median wage in Ames, IA compared against the national median for the same occupation. Unlike a cost-of-living adjustment — which scales every job in a state by the same constant and so cannot change their order — this genuinely re-ranks, and it shows where Ames, IA pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

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 · vs. national

1Production Workers, All Other$70,690
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,140 – $82,160+76.2%
2Firefighters$86,010
Postsecondary nondegree award
$38,440 – $86,010+45.1%
3Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$69,090
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,340 – $69,090+43.2%
4Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$61,820
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,100 – $79,010+27.3%
5Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$79,210
Associate's degree
$55,100 – $90,570+22.0%
6Highway Maintenance Workers$60,980
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,190 – $71,590+21.3%
7Food Batchmakers$50,950
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,380 – $60,190+20.5%
8Court, Municipal, and License Clerks$57,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,980 – $67,920+18.7%
9Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$69,750
Master's degree
$42,480 – $123,280+17.5%
10Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics$58,820
Postsecondary nondegree award
$37,490 – $84,840+16.2%
11Property Appraisers and Assessors$78,480
Bachelor's degree
$60,430 – $95,000+15.5%
12Loan Interviewers and Clerks$57,580
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,390 – $74,840+15.1%
13Bus Drivers, School$54,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,850 – $95,320+14.3%
14Residential Advisors$48,230
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,170 – $71,440+14.2%
15Agricultural Equipment Operators$47,610
No formal educational credential
$34,810 – $64,000+14.1%
16Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers$44,580
No formal educational credential
$28,900 – $58,660+13.9%
17Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians$63,490
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,600 – $77,680+12.3%
18Prepress Technicians and Workers$54,460
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,360 – $63,520+11.9%
19Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door$83,010
High school diploma or equivalent
$61,910 – $110,130+11.7%
20Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other$54,950
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,900 – $68,390+11.6%
21Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$48,250
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,760 – $56,280+11.6%
22Fundraisers$80,430
Bachelor's degree
$46,320 – $135,420+10.9%
23Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$49,360
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,940 – $59,840+10.5%
24Public Safety Telecommunicators$58,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,700 – $68,020+10.5%
25Maintenance and Repair Workers, General$54,770
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,480 – $73,830+10.4%
26Loan Officers$84,470
Bachelor's degree
$56,170 – $157,140+10.1%
27Food Processing Workers, All Other$43,520
No formal educational credential
$29,570 – $48,580+9.7%
28Animal Caretakers$38,700
High school diploma or equivalent
$25,160 – $56,010+9.4%
29Data Entry Keyers$45,140
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,870 – $56,830+9.2%
30Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$58,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,620 – $67,110+8.9%
31Information and Record Clerks, All Other$53,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,560 – $62,010+8.5%
32Computer Network Support Specialists$82,360
Associate's degree
$52,720 – $100,790+8.1%
33Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders$62,300
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,960 – $76,680+7.3%
34Veterinary Technologists and Technicians$50,730
Associate's degree
$39,860 – $78,600+7.1%
35Automotive Body and Related Repairers$58,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,180 – $119,990+7.1%
36Construction and Building Inspectors$79,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$56,940 – $94,740+6.8%
37Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$52,020
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,970 – $63,590+6.2%
38Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other$48,320
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,290 – $61,940+5.8%
39Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks$47,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,630 – $60,260+5.7%
40Construction Laborers$49,810
No formal educational credential
$39,950 – $71,380+5.7%
41Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$49,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,670 – $57,510+5.3%
42Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$100,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$76,200 – $111,370+5.1%
43Parts Salespersons$40,540
No formal educational credential
$29,070 – $70,320+4.9%
44Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other$65,020
Associate's degree
$48,180 – $85,240+4.4%
45Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$62,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,490 – $80,640+4.3%
46Sheet Metal Workers$64,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,480 – $92,860+4.2%
47Industrial Machinery Mechanics$67,250
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,390 – $86,050+4.2%
48Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators$48,310
No formal educational credential
$38,560 – $54,540+4.1%
49Paramedics$62,920
Postsecondary nondegree award
$48,650 – $80,120+3.8%
50Emergency Medical Technicians$46,000
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,350 – $59,770+3.4%

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	vs. national
1	Production Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$70,690	$39,140 – $82,160	+76.2%
2	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$86,010	$38,440 – $86,010	+45.1%
3	Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$69,090	$40,340 – $69,090	+43.2%
4	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,820	$44,100 – $79,010	+27.3%
5	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$79,210	$55,100 – $90,570	+22.0%
6	Highway Maintenance WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,980	$47,190 – $71,590	+21.3%
7	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,950	$36,380 – $60,190	+20.5%
8	Court, Municipal, and License ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,800	$41,980 – $67,920	+18.7%
9	Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health CounselorsMaster's degree	$69,750	$42,480 – $123,280	+17.5%
10	Automotive Service Technicians and MechanicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$58,820	$37,490 – $84,840	+16.2%
11	Property Appraisers and AssessorsBachelor's degree	$78,480	$60,430 – $95,000	+15.5%
12	Loan Interviewers and ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,580	$39,390 – $74,840	+15.1%
13	Bus Drivers, SchoolHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,780	$37,850 – $95,320	+14.3%
14	Residential AdvisorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,230	$36,170 – $71,440	+14.2%
15	Agricultural Equipment OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$47,610	$34,810 – $64,000	+14.1%
16	Landscaping and Groundskeeping WorkersNo formal educational credential	$44,580	$28,900 – $58,660	+13.9%
17	Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,490	$48,600 – $77,680	+12.3%
18	Prepress Technicians and WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$54,460	$47,360 – $63,520	+11.9%
19	Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical DoorHigh school diploma or equivalent	$83,010	$61,910 – $110,130	+11.7%
20	Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,950	$35,900 – $68,390	+11.6%
21	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,250	$36,760 – $56,280	+11.6%
22	FundraisersBachelor's degree	$80,430	$46,320 – $135,420	+10.9%
23	Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,360	$37,940 – $59,840	+10.5%
24	Public Safety TelecommunicatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,610	$50,700 – $68,020	+10.5%
25	Maintenance and Repair Workers, GeneralHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,770	$37,480 – $73,830	+10.4%
26	Loan OfficersBachelor's degree	$84,470	$56,170 – $157,140	+10.1%
27	Food Processing Workers, All OtherNo formal educational credential	$43,520	$29,570 – $48,580	+9.7%
28	Animal CaretakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,700	$25,160 – $56,010	+9.4%
29	Data Entry KeyersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,140	$32,870 – $56,830	+9.2%
30	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,560	$40,620 – $67,110	+8.9%
31	Information and Record Clerks, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,710	$38,560 – $62,010	+8.5%
32	Computer Network Support SpecialistsAssociate's degree	$82,360	$52,720 – $100,790	+8.1%
33	Chemical Equipment Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,300	$46,960 – $76,680	+7.3%
34	Veterinary Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$50,730	$39,860 – $78,600	+7.1%
35	Automotive Body and Related RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,790	$37,180 – $119,990	+7.1%
36	Construction and Building InspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,740	$56,940 – $94,740	+6.8%
37	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,020	$33,970 – $63,590	+6.2%
38	Office and Administrative Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,320	$39,290 – $61,940	+5.8%
39	Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,840	$35,630 – $60,260	+5.7%
40	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$49,810	$39,950 – $71,380	+5.7%
41	Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,670	$46,670 – $57,510	+5.3%
42	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$100,170	$76,200 – $111,370	+5.1%
43	Parts SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$40,540	$29,070 – $70,320	+4.9%
44	Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All OtherAssociate's degree	$65,020	$48,180 – $85,240	+4.4%
45	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,400	$48,490 – $80,640	+4.3%
46	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,420	$39,480 – $92,860	+4.2%
47	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$67,250	$49,390 – $86,050	+4.2%
48	Industrial Truck and Tractor OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$48,310	$38,560 – $54,540	+4.1%
49	ParamedicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$62,920	$48,650 – $80,120	+3.8%
50	Emergency Medical TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$46,000	$36,350 – $59,770	+3.4%

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