Ames, IA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

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

In the Ames, IA metropolitan area, nursing assistants earned a median of $43,540 a year ($20.93 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 770 of these jobs there. That is 13% below the $50,220 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $37,010 and $48,920; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Iowa tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $36,162 in take-home pay.

Nursing assistant pay in Ames, IA at a glance

Median salary

$43,540$20.93 per hour · $3,628 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$37,010$17.79/hr
25th percentile$38,520$18.52/hr
75th percentile$47,120$22.65/hr
90th percentile$48,920$23.52/hr
Jobs in this metro770Location quotient 1.47 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here13% belowAll-jobs median $50,220
Against Iowa11% aboveStatewide median $39,350
Against the U.S.3% aboveNational median $42,260

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.

Nursing assistant salary in Ames, IA after taxes

$43,540
$15,000$90,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$43,540
Net 83%
Fed 7%
IA 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$36,162After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,013Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,391Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate17%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,045 / yr
Iowa state income tax$1,003 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,331 / yr

Nursing 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 nursing assistants earned in the Ames, IA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (IA)
10th percentile$17.79/hr$3,084$37,010$31,163
25th percentile$18.52/hr$3,210$38,520$32,319
MedianMedian$20.93/hr$3,628$43,540$36,162
75th percentile$22.65/hr$3,927$47,120$38,902
90th percentile$23.52/hr$4,077$48,920$40,280

Is $43,540 a good salary in Ames, IA?

It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for nursing 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 household59.5%of area median income

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

Nursing assistant pay in Ames, IA: common questions

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

The BLS median annual wage for nursing assistants in the Ames, IA metro area was $43,540 in May 2025, about $3,628 a month or $20.93 an hour. Statewide, the Iowa median for this job is $39,350, so the metro pays 11% above the state.

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

The median hourly wage for nursing assistants in Ames, IA was $20.93 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $17.79 an hour and one in ten earned more than $23.52.

How many nursing assistants work in Ames, IA?

BLS estimated 770 jobs for nursing assistants in the metro in May 2025, or 13.7 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.47 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for nursing assistants in Ames, IA?

BLS wage estimates for nursing assistants in Ames, IA run from $37,010 at the 10th percentile to $38,520 at the 25th, $47,120 at the 75th, and $48,920 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

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

On a median gross salary of $43,540, an estimated $36,162 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,391 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Iowa in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $7,378 (an effective rate of 16.9%).

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

On the median annual salary of $43,540, gross monthly income is $3,628. After federal, FICA, and Iowa state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,013 per month (or $1,391 every two weeks).

Is $43,540 a good salary in Ames, IA?

At $43,540, the median salary for nursing assistants is 59.5% of the Ames, IA median household income ($73,127). It is 13% 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.