Ames, IA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a medical assistant make in Ames, IA?

In the Ames, IA metropolitan area, medical assistants earned a median of $45,810 a year ($22.02 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 180 of these jobs there. That is 9% below the $50,220 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $37,270 and $50,340; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Iowa tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $37,899 in take-home pay.

Medical assistant pay in Ames, IA at a glance

Median salary

$45,810$22.02 per hour · $3,818 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$37,270$17.92/hr
25th percentile$38,300$18.42/hr
75th percentile$48,100$23.13/hr
90th percentile$50,340$24.20/hr
Jobs in this metro180Location quotient 0.61 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here9% belowAll-jobs median $50,220
Against Iowa1% aboveStatewide median $45,480
Against the U.S.about the same asNational median $45,690

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.

Medical assistant salary in Ames, IA after taxes

$45,810
$15,000$95,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$45,810
Net 83%
Fed 7%
IA 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$37,899After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,158Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,458Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate17.3%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,317 / yr
Iowa state income tax$1,089 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,504 / yr

Medical 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 medical assistants earned in the Ames, IA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (IA)
10th percentile$17.92/hr$3,106$37,270$31,362
25th percentile$18.42/hr$3,192$38,300$32,150
MedianMedian$22.02/hr$3,818$45,810$37,899
75th percentile$23.13/hr$4,008$48,100$39,652
90th percentile$24.20/hr$4,195$50,340$41,367

Is $45,810 a good salary in Ames, IA?

It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for medical 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 household62.6%of area median income

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

Medical assistant pay in Ames, IA: common questions

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

The BLS median annual wage for medical assistants in the Ames, IA metro area was $45,810 in May 2025, about $3,818 a month or $22.02 an hour. Statewide, the Iowa median for this job is $45,480, so the metro pays 1% above the state.

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

The median hourly wage for medical assistants in Ames, IA was $22.02 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $17.92 an hour and one in ten earned more than $24.20.

How many medical assistants work in Ames, IA?

BLS estimated 180 jobs for medical assistants in the metro in May 2025, or 3.2 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 medical assistants in Ames, IA?

BLS wage estimates for medical assistants in Ames, IA run from $37,270 at the 10th percentile to $38,300 at the 25th, $48,100 at the 75th, and $50,340 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

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

On a median gross salary of $45,810, an estimated $37,899 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,458 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Iowa in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $7,911 (an effective rate of 17.3%).

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

On the median annual salary of $45,810, gross monthly income is $3,818. After federal, FICA, and Iowa state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,158 per month (or $1,458 every two weeks).

Is $45,810 a good salary in Ames, IA?

At $45,810, the median salary for medical assistants is 62.6% of the Ames, IA median household income ($73,127). It is 9% 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.