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Ames, IA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does an elementary school teacher make in Ames, IA?

In the Ames, IA metropolitan area, elementary school teachers earned a median of $62,430 a year in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 440 of these jobs there. That is 24% above the $50,220 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $48,830 and $80,340; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Iowa tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $50,622 in take-home pay.

Elementary school teacher pay in Ames, IA at a glance

Median salary

$62,430$5,203 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$48,830—
25th percentile$49,940—
75th percentile$76,530—
90th percentile$80,340—
Jobs in this metro440Location quotient 0.88 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here24% aboveAll-jobs median $50,220
Against Iowa3% aboveStatewide median $60,580
Against the U.S.2% belowNational median $63,970

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 $62,000 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$30 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $62,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $62,000 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.

Elementary school teacher salary in Ames, IA after taxes

$62,430
$20,000$125,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$62,430
Net 81%
Fed 9%
IA 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$50,622After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,219Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,947Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate18.9%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$5,312 / yr
Iowa state income tax$1,721 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$4,776 / yr
Customize deductions in full Iowa calculator

Elementary school teachers 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 elementary school teachers earned in the Ames, IA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (IA)
10th percentile—$4,069$48,830$40,211
25th percentile—$4,162$49,940$41,061
MedianMedian—$5,203$62,430$50,622
75th percentile—$6,378$76,530$60,413
90th percentile—$6,695$80,340$62,948

Is $62,430 a good salary in Ames, IA?

It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for elementary school teachers 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 household85.4%of area median income

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

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Elementary school teachers 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.

Elementary school teacher pay in Ames, IA: common questions

What is the median salary for elementary school teachers in Ames, IA?

The BLS median annual wage for elementary school teachers in the Ames, IA metro area was $62,430 in May 2025, about $5,203 a month. Statewide, the Iowa median for this job is $60,580, so the metro pays 3% above the state.

Is there an hourly rate for elementary school teachers in Ames, IA?

BLS publishes pay for this job as an annual salary only, because the hours worked in a year vary too much to state a meaningful hourly rate.

How many elementary school teachers work in Ames, IA?

BLS estimated 440 jobs for elementary school teachers in the metro in May 2025, or 7.9 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.88 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for elementary school teachers in Ames, IA?

BLS wage estimates for elementary school teachers in Ames, IA run from $48,830 at the 10th percentile to $49,940 at the 25th, $76,530 at the 75th, and $80,340 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do elementary school teachers take home after taxes in Ames, IA?

On a median gross salary of $62,430, an estimated $50,622 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,947 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Iowa in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $11,808 (an effective rate of 18.9%).

How much do elementary school teachers make per month in Ames, IA?

On the median annual salary of $62,430, gross monthly income is $5,203. After federal, FICA, and Iowa state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $4,219 per month (or $1,947 every two weeks).

Is $62,430 a good salary in Ames, IA?

At $62,430, the median salary for elementary school teachers is 85.4% of the Ames, IA median household income ($73,127). It is 24% 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.