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Ames, IA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does an administrative assistant make in Ames, IA?

In the Ames, IA metropolitan area, administrative assistants earned a median of $48,740 a year ($23.44 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 620 of these jobs there. That is 3% below the $50,220 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $36,640 and $61,600; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Iowa tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $40,142 in take-home pay.

Administrative assistant pay in Ames, IA at a glance

Median salary

$48,740$23.44 per hour · $4,062 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$36,640$17.62/hr
25th percentile$39,210$18.85/hr
75th percentile$55,370$26.62/hr
90th percentile$61,600$29.61/hr
Jobs in this metro620Location quotient 1.02 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here3% belowAll-jobs median $50,220
Against Iowa8% aboveStatewide median $45,150
Against the U.S.3% aboveNational median $47,540

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 $49,000 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$23 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $49,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $49,000 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.

Administrative assistant salary in Ames, IA after taxes

$48,740
$15,000$100,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$48,740
Net 82%
Fed 8%
IA 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$40,142After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,345Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,544Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate17.6%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,669 / yr
Iowa state income tax$1,200 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,729 / yr
Customize deductions in full Iowa calculator

Administrative assistants 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 administrative assistants earned in the Ames, IA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (IA)
10th percentile$17.62/hr$3,053$36,640$30,880
25th percentile$18.85/hr$3,268$39,210$32,847
MedianMedian$23.44/hr$4,062$48,740$40,142
75th percentile$26.62/hr$4,614$55,370$45,218
90th percentile$29.61/hr$5,133$61,600$49,987

Is $48,740 a good salary in Ames, IA?

It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for administrative assistants 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 household66.7%of area median income

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

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Administrative assistants 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.

Administrative assistant pay in Ames, IA: common questions

What is the median salary for administrative assistants in Ames, IA?

The BLS median annual wage for administrative assistants in the Ames, IA metro area was $48,740 in May 2025, about $4,062 a month or $23.44 an hour. Statewide, the Iowa median for this job is $45,150, so the metro pays 8% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for administrative assistants in Ames, IA?

The median hourly wage for administrative assistants in Ames, IA was $23.44 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $17.62 an hour and one in ten earned more than $29.61.

How many administrative assistants work in Ames, IA?

BLS estimated 620 jobs for administrative assistants in the metro in May 2025, or 11.2 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 administrative assistants in Ames, IA?

BLS wage estimates for administrative assistants in Ames, IA run from $36,640 at the 10th percentile to $39,210 at the 25th, $55,370 at the 75th, and $61,600 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do administrative assistants take home after taxes in Ames, IA?

On a median gross salary of $48,740, an estimated $40,142 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,544 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Iowa in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $8,598 (an effective rate of 17.6%).

How much do administrative assistants make per month in Ames, IA?

On the median annual salary of $48,740, gross monthly income is $4,062. After federal, FICA, and Iowa state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,345 per month (or $1,544 every two weeks).

Is $48,740 a good salary in Ames, IA?

At $48,740, the median salary for administrative assistants is 66.7% of the Ames, IA median household income ($73,127). It is 3% below 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.