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Ames, IA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does an accountant or auditor make in Ames, IA?

In the Ames, IA metropolitan area, accountants or auditors earned a median of $79,320 a year ($38.14 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 530 of these jobs there. That is 58% above the $50,220 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $52,370 and $126,450; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Iowa tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $62,269 in take-home pay.

Accountant or auditor pay in Ames, IA at a glance

Median salary

$79,320$38.14 per hour · $6,610 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$52,370$25.18/hr
25th percentile$62,960$30.27/hr
75th percentile$98,100$47.17/hr
90th percentile$126,450$60.79/hr
Jobs in this metro530Location quotient 1.02 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here58% aboveAll-jobs median $50,220
Against Iowa2% aboveStatewide median $77,440
Against the U.S.5% belowNational median $83,680

Run the numbers on your own pay

Same U.S. tax tables as the rest of the site. Change the salary, state, or filing status.

Take-home payWhat $79,000 a year leaves after tax in IowaFederal tax, FICA and Iowa withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$38 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $79,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $79,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation Iowa publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Iowa.

Accountant or auditor salary in Ames, IA after taxes

$79,320
$30,000$160,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$79,320
Net 79%
Fed 11%
IA 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$62,269After all taxes
Monthly deposit$5,189Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,395Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate21.5%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$8,620 / yr
Iowa state income tax$2,362 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$6,068 / yr
Customize deductions in full Iowa calculator

Accountants or auditors pay range in Ames, IA, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Ames, IA metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What accountants or auditors earned in the Ames, IA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (IA)
10th percentile$25.18/hr$4,364$52,370$42,921
25th percentile$30.27/hr$5,247$62,960$51,028
MedianMedian$38.14/hr$6,610$79,320$62,269
75th percentile$47.17/hr$8,175$98,100$74,767
90th percentile$60.79/hr$10,538$126,450$93,541

Is $79,320 a good salary in Ames, IA?

It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for accountants or auditors next to both.

Median household income$73,127Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)88.811.2% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household108.5%of area median income

The same job statewide and nationally, and a calculator for your own paycheck.

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Accountants or auditors pay in other Iowa metros

Metros in the same state that are closest in size to Ames, IA. A statewide average can hide differences this large.

Accountant or auditor pay in Ames, IA: common questions

What is the median salary for accountants or auditors in Ames, IA?

The BLS median annual wage for accountants or auditors in the Ames, IA metro area was $79,320 in May 2025, about $6,610 a month or $38.14 an hour. Statewide, the Iowa median for this job is $77,440, so the metro pays 2% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for accountants or auditors in Ames, IA?

The median hourly wage for accountants or auditors in Ames, IA was $38.14 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $25.18 an hour and one in ten earned more than $60.79.

How many accountants or auditors work in Ames, IA?

BLS estimated 530 jobs for accountants or auditors in the metro in May 2025, or 9.6 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.02 means the job is about as common here as in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for accountants or auditors in Ames, IA?

BLS wage estimates for accountants or auditors in Ames, IA run from $52,370 at the 10th percentile to $62,960 at the 25th, $98,100 at the 75th, and $126,450 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do accountants or auditors take home after taxes in Ames, IA?

On a median gross salary of $79,320, an estimated $62,269 lands in net take-home pay per year ($2,395 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Iowa in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $17,051 (an effective rate of 21.5%).

How much do accountants or auditors make per month in Ames, IA?

On the median annual salary of $79,320, gross monthly income is $6,610. After federal, FICA, and Iowa state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $5,189 per month (or $2,395 every two weeks).

Is $79,320 a good salary in Ames, IA?

At $79,320, the median salary for accountants or auditors is 108.5% of the Ames, IA median household income ($73,127). It is 58% above the $50,220 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 88.8, so prices here run 11.2% below the U.S. average.