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Ames, IA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a laborer or material mover make in Ames, IA?

In the Ames, IA metropolitan area, laborers or material movers earned a median of $40,280 a year ($19.36 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 650 of these jobs there. That is 20% below the $50,220 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $31,050 and $58,320; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Iowa tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $33,666 in take-home pay.

Laborer or material mover pay in Ames, IA at a glance

Median salary

$40,280$19.36 per hour · $3,357 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$31,050$14.93/hr
25th percentile$33,890$16.29/hr
75th percentile$49,990$24.03/hr
90th percentile$58,320$28.04/hr
Jobs in this metro650Location quotient 0.61 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here20% belowAll-jobs median $50,220
Against Iowa7% belowStatewide median $43,490
Against the U.S.about the same asNational median $40,240

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 $40,000 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$19 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $40,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $40,000 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.

Laborer or material mover salary in Ames, IA after taxes

$40,280
$15,000$85,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$40,280
Net 84%
Fed 7%
IA 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$33,666After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,806Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,295Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate16.4%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,654 / yr
Iowa state income tax$879 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,081 / yr
Customize deductions in full Iowa calculator

Laborers or material movers 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 laborers or material movers earned in the Ames, IA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (IA)
10th percentile$14.93/hr$2,588$31,050$26,601
25th percentile$16.29/hr$2,824$33,890$28,775
MedianMedian$19.36/hr$3,357$40,280$33,666
75th percentile$24.03/hr$4,166$49,990$41,099
90th percentile$28.04/hr$4,860$58,320$47,476

Is $40,280 a good salary in Ames, IA?

It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for laborers or material movers 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 household55.1%of area median income

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

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Laborers or material movers 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.

Laborer or material mover pay in Ames, IA: common questions

What is the median salary for laborers or material movers in Ames, IA?

The BLS median annual wage for laborers or material movers in the Ames, IA metro area was $40,280 in May 2025, about $3,357 a month or $19.36 an hour. Statewide, the Iowa median for this job is $43,490, so the metro pays 7% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for laborers or material movers in Ames, IA?

The median hourly wage for laborers or material movers in Ames, IA was $19.36 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $14.93 an hour and one in ten earned more than $28.04.

How many laborers or material movers work in Ames, IA?

BLS estimated 650 jobs for laborers or material movers in the metro in May 2025, or 11.6 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.61 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for laborers or material movers in Ames, IA?

BLS wage estimates for laborers or material movers in Ames, IA run from $31,050 at the 10th percentile to $33,890 at the 25th, $49,990 at the 75th, and $58,320 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do laborers or material movers take home after taxes in Ames, IA?

On a median gross salary of $40,280, an estimated $33,666 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,295 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Iowa in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $6,614 (an effective rate of 16.4%).

How much do laborers or material movers make per month in Ames, IA?

On the median annual salary of $40,280, gross monthly income is $3,357. After federal, FICA, and Iowa state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,806 per month (or $1,295 every two weeks).

Is $40,280 a good salary in Ames, IA?

At $40,280, the median salary for laborers or material movers is 55.1% of the Ames, IA median household income ($73,127). It is 20% 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.