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Ames, IA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a human resources specialist make in Ames, IA?

In the Ames, IA metropolitan area, human resources specialists earned a median of $70,060 a year ($33.68 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 260 of these jobs there. That is 40% above the $50,220 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $48,610 and $106,020; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Iowa tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $56,107 in take-home pay.

Human resources specialist pay in Ames, IA at a glance

Median salary

$70,060$33.68 per hour · $5,838 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$48,610$23.37/hr
25th percentile$60,090$28.89/hr
75th percentile$85,800$41.25/hr
90th percentile$106,020$50.97/hr
Jobs in this metro260Location quotient 0.79 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here40% aboveAll-jobs median $50,220
Against Iowa5% aboveStatewide median $66,710
Against the U.S.8% belowNational median $75,940

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

Take-home payWhat $70,000 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$34 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $70,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $70,000 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.

Human resources specialist salary in Ames, IA after taxes

$70,060
$25,000$145,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$70,060
Net 80%
Fed 9%
IA 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$56,107After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,676Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,158Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate19.9%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$6,583 / yr
Iowa state income tax$2,010 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$5,360 / yr
Customize deductions in full Iowa calculator

Human resources specialists 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 human resources specialists earned in the Ames, IA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (IA)
10th percentile$23.37/hr$4,051$48,610$40,043
25th percentile$28.89/hr$5,008$60,090$48,831
MedianMedian$33.68/hr$5,838$70,060$56,107
75th percentile$41.25/hr$7,150$85,800$66,582
90th percentile$50.97/hr$8,835$106,020$80,038

Is $70,060 a good salary in Ames, IA?

It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for human resources specialists 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 household95.8%of area median income

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

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Human resources specialists 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.

Human resources specialist pay in Ames, IA: common questions

What is the median salary for human resources specialists in Ames, IA?

The BLS median annual wage for human resources specialists in the Ames, IA metro area was $70,060 in May 2025, about $5,838 a month or $33.68 an hour. Statewide, the Iowa median for this job is $66,710, so the metro pays 5% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for human resources specialists in Ames, IA?

The median hourly wage for human resources specialists in Ames, IA was $33.68 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $23.37 an hour and one in ten earned more than $50.97.

How many human resources specialists work in Ames, IA?

BLS estimated 260 jobs for human resources specialists in the metro in May 2025, or 4.6 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.79 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for human resources specialists in Ames, IA?

BLS wage estimates for human resources specialists in Ames, IA run from $48,610 at the 10th percentile to $60,090 at the 25th, $85,800 at the 75th, and $106,020 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do human resources specialists take home after taxes in Ames, IA?

On a median gross salary of $70,060, an estimated $56,107 lands in net take-home pay per year ($2,158 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Iowa in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $13,953 (an effective rate of 19.9%).

How much do human resources specialists make per month in Ames, IA?

On the median annual salary of $70,060, gross monthly income is $5,838. After federal, FICA, and Iowa state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $4,676 per month (or $2,158 every two weeks).

Is $70,060 a good salary in Ames, IA?

At $70,060, the median salary for human resources specialists is 95.8% of the Ames, IA median household income ($73,127). It is 40% 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.