Cost of hiring in Ames, IA
BLS counts about 4,620 people in these 16 roles in Ames1. Project Coordinator has the highest median ($97,290 a year), Virtual Receptionist the lowest ($35,170), and Customer Support Specialist is the largest job, with about 690 people.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in Ames
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Entry Specialist | +9.2% | 50 | |
| Administrative Assistant | +2.5% | 620 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -2.3% | 30 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -4.4% | 690 | |
| Office Manager | -4.4% | 280 | |
| Project Coordinator | -4.9% | 260 | |
| Accountant | -5.2% | 530 | |
| Bookkeeper | -5.3% | 470 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -7.5% | 170 | |
| Recruiter | -7.7% | 260 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -9.7% | 220 | |
| HR Assistant | -10.7% | 40 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -12.5% | 420 | |
| Paralegal | -15.4% | 60 | |
| Executive Assistant | -19.1% | 140 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -22.4% | 380 |
The employer pays more than the wage: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, so a $42,820 median for customer support specialists, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $55,252 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
Ames against the US
Ames pays above the US median for 2 of the 16 roles, most of all for data entry specialists (+9.2%) and administrative assistants (+2.5%), and below it for 14, furthest for marketing specialists (-22.4%). The middle gap across all 16 is -6.4%: for most of these roles, hiring costs less here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for data entry specialists, #54 of 394 areas by median pay; its lowest is for HR assistants, #292 of 384.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, Ames has more HR assistants (0.9% of these jobs here, against 0.6% nationally) and medical administrative assistants (9.1% against 6.1%), and fewer paralegals (1.3% against 2.5%) and sales development representatives (4.8% against 8.0%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Grand Junction, CO is nearest, at -6.5%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Akron, OH | -6.1% | 17 | 31,320 |
| Elmira, NY | -6.2% | 14 | 3,040 |
| Ames, IA | -6.4% (this area) | 16 | 4,620 |
| Grand Junction, CO | -6.5% | 16 | 6,320 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA-NC | -6.7% | 17 | 69,270 |
| Dayton-Kettering, OH | -6.7% | 17 | 30,580 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, sales development representatives in Ames span $35,530–$123,770, the widest band (3.5×); medical administrative assistants the narrowest, $34,530–$49,030. Offers cluster nearer the median than nationally for 12 of 16 roles, marketing specialists most ($43,390–$155,480 across the US). Budget from the median for sales development representatives, project coordinators and marketing specialists: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($70,760 against a $63,230 median for sales development representatives).
Ames against Iowa
Against Iowa as a whole, Ames pays more for 7 of 16 roles, led by administrative assistants (+8.0%) and payroll specialists (+5.3%), and less for 6, most of all marketing specialists (-8.0%). It has the highest median in Iowa for accountants and administrative assistants, and the lowest for virtual receptionists.
Other areas in Iowa
By jobs in these roles, Ames is #12 of 12 areas in Iowa. The table shows the areas closest to it in size, from Davenport-Moline to the Southwest Iowa nonmetro area.
| Area | Jobs in these roles | Roles with data |
|---|---|---|
| Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | 16,150 | 17 |
| Southeast Iowa (Nonmetro) | 13,550 | 17 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | 13,480 | 17 |
| Northwest Iowa (Nonmetro) | 9,880 | 17 |
| Iowa City, IA | 8,030 | 16 |
| Northeast Iowa (Nonmetro) | 7,490 | 17 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | 6,400 | 17 |
| Dubuque, IA | 5,880 | 15 |
| Sioux City, IA-NE | 5,340 | 15 |
| Southwest Iowa (Nonmetro) | 4,830 | 15 |
Questions
Which role costs the most to hire in Ames?
Of the 16 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $97,290 a year, about $125,535 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $35,170.
Is hiring in Ames cheaper than the US median?
For 14 of the 16 roles, yes, most of all marketing specialists (-22.4%). 2 pay more than the US median, led by data entry specialists (+9.2%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.