Bookkeeper salary in Ames, IA
Ames pays bookkeepers close to the Iowa norm. The median is $47,970 a year1, about level with the Iowa statewide median of $48,180 and 5.3% below the US median of $50,670. Among US areas it comes in at #237 of 521. BLS counts about 470 people in this job here, 3% of the Iowa total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Ames, IA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Ames against Iowa and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ames, IA | $32,770 | $47,970 | $68,010 | |
| Iowa | $33,240 | $48,180 | $66,490 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
Bookkeepers at the 90th percentile earn $68,010, 2.1 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.1. The middle half of bookkeepers in Ames earns $39,520–$59,000. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $19,480 wide, wider than in Iowa as a whole ($16,400) and the US ($17,950), so what a bookkeeper earns in Ames depends more on the employer.
What to budget for a bookkeeper here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $32,770 | $2,731 | $15.75 | $42,284 |
| 25th percentile | $39,520 | $3,293 | $19.00 | $50,994 |
| Median | $47,970 | $3,998 | $23.06 | $61,897 |
| 75th percentile | $59,000 | $4,917 | $28.37 | $76,129 |
| 90th percentile | $68,010 | $5,668 | $32.70 | $87,755 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $11,030 a year in pay and about $14,232 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $8,450 in pay. These percentiles describe what people in the job earn locally, not experience levels, so place your offer by the tasks and seniority you need.
For scale, the US median of $50,670 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in Ames, and the Iowa statewide median of $48,180 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Ames
Pay is only part of it. Benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, which adds about $13,927 to the $47,970 median and brings it to $61,897 a year. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.
We place executive assistants, customer support and e-commerce staff today; for bookkeepers we answer within one business day whether we can help. Enter the monthly pay you have in mind to compare it with a local hire. The fee field shows our standard fee3; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool4.
Other roles in Ames
Of the 16 roles we track in Ames, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between administrative assistants ($48,740) and HR assistants ($45,200). Project Coordinator is the highest at $97,290.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | +10.9% | 60 | |
| Administrative Assistant | +1.6% | 620 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 470 | |
| HR Assistant | -5.8% | 40 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -5.9% | 50 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #8 of the 16 roles we track in Ames (-5.3%), between accountants (-5.2%) and virtual receptionists (-7.5%). The typical role here is at -6.4%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Bookkeepers hold 10.2% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Ames, 10.3% across Iowa and 8.7% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Iowa
Across the 12 areas of Iowa with data for this job, the median runs from $46,600 in the Southwest Iowa nonmetro area to $50,610 in Des Moines-West Des Moines, a gap of $4,010 a year. Of the 11 areas in Iowa with more bookkeepers than Ames, 8 pay less, the largest of them the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area ($46,640), the Northwest Iowa nonmetro area ($46,870) and Davenport-Moline, IA-IL ($47,840).
| Area | Median | vs Ames | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | +5.5% | 3,670 | |
| Iowa City, IA | +2.6% | 660 | |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | +1.5% | 1,120 | |
| Ames, IA | this area | 470 | |
| Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | -0.3% | 1,360 | |
| Dubuque, IA | -0.7% | 520 | |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | -0.9% | 580 |
Ames against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Ames is #443 of 521 US areas for this job. The market is small, and its pay sits near the middle of the US range. Outside Iowa, Louisville and Lexington-Fayette pay just above Ames and El Centro and Muskegon-Norton Shores just below. All four are within $30 a year of the median in Ames. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Ames | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairbanks-College, AK | +23.7% | 470 | jobs | |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | +0.1% | 3,120 | pay | |
| Louisville, KY-IN | +0.0% | 7,730 | pay | |
| Ames, IA | this area | 470 | ||
| El Centro, CA | -0.0% | 530 | pay | |
| Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI | -0.1% | 440 | pay | |
| Jonesboro, AR | -6.9% | 470 | jobs | |
| Altoona, PA | -11.1% | 470 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Ames, IA?
About $61,897 a year at the median, or $5,158 a month: $47,970 in pay plus about $13,927 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do bookkeepers earn in Ames?
The median was $47,970 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $32,770, the 90th $68,010, and the middle half earned $39,520 to $59,000.
Is Ames cheaper than the rest of Iowa for bookkeepers?
About the same: a median of $47,970 against $48,180 statewide. The next area up in Iowa is Cedar Rapids at $48,690, the next down Davenport-Moline at $47,840.
How many bookkeepers work in Ames?
BLS counts about 470 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the Iowa total of 14,020. 11 areas in Iowa have more; the closest in size is Dubuque, with about 520.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an HR assistant in Ames?
Yes: $2,770 a year more at the median. The medians are $47,970 and $45,200.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-3031: bls.gov
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
- Stafka pricing: stafka.com
- Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.