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Ames, IA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a registered nurse make in Ames, IA?

In the Ames, IA metropolitan area, registered nurses earned a median of $77,160 a year ($37.09 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 1,070 of these jobs there. That is 54% above the $50,220 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $64,360 and $99,440; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Iowa tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $60,832 in take-home pay.

Registered nurse pay in Ames, IA at a glance

Median salary

$77,160$37.09 per hour · $6,430 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$64,360$30.94/hr
25th percentile$67,280$32.34/hr
75th percentile$80,900$38.89/hr
90th percentile$99,440$47.81/hr
Jobs in this metro1,070Location quotient 0.88 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here54% aboveAll-jobs median $50,220
Against Iowa2% belowStatewide median $78,630
Against the U.S.21% belowNational median $97,550

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 $77,000 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$37 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $77,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $77,000 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.

Registered nurse salary in Ames, IA after taxes

$77,160
$30,000$155,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$77,160
Net 79%
Fed 11%
IA 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$60,832After all taxes
Monthly deposit$5,069Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,340Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate21.2%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$8,145 / yr
Iowa state income tax$2,280 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$5,903 / yr
Customize deductions in full Iowa calculator

Registered nurses 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 registered nurses earned in the Ames, IA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (IA)
10th percentile$30.94/hr$5,363$64,360$52,099
25th percentile$32.34/hr$5,607$67,280$54,257
MedianMedian$37.09/hr$6,430$77,160$60,832
75th percentile$38.89/hr$6,742$80,900$63,321
90th percentile$47.81/hr$8,287$99,440$75,659

Is $77,160 a good salary in Ames, IA?

It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for registered nurses 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 household105.5%of area median income

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

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Registered nurses 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.

Registered nurse pay in Ames, IA: common questions

What is the median salary for registered nurses in Ames, IA?

The BLS median annual wage for registered nurses in the Ames, IA metro area was $77,160 in May 2025, about $6,430 a month or $37.09 an hour. Statewide, the Iowa median for this job is $78,630, so the metro pays 2% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for registered nurses in Ames, IA?

The median hourly wage for registered nurses in Ames, IA was $37.09 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $30.94 an hour and one in ten earned more than $47.81.

How many registered nurses work in Ames, IA?

BLS estimated 1,070 jobs for registered nurses in the metro in May 2025, or 19.1 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 registered nurses in Ames, IA?

BLS wage estimates for registered nurses in Ames, IA run from $64,360 at the 10th percentile to $67,280 at the 25th, $80,900 at the 75th, and $99,440 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do registered nurses take home after taxes in Ames, IA?

On a median gross salary of $77,160, an estimated $60,832 lands in net take-home pay per year ($2,340 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Iowa in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $16,328 (an effective rate of 21.2%).

How much do registered nurses make per month in Ames, IA?

On the median annual salary of $77,160, gross monthly income is $6,430. After federal, FICA, and Iowa state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $5,069 per month (or $2,340 every two weeks).

Is $77,160 a good salary in Ames, IA?

At $77,160, the median salary for registered nurses is 105.5% of the Ames, IA median household income ($73,127). It is 54% 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.