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Ames, IA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

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

In the Ames, IA metropolitan area, teaching assistants earned a median of $30,420 a year in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 780 of these jobs there. That is 39% below the $50,220 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $22,500 and $36,500; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Iowa tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $26,118 in take-home pay.

Teaching assistant pay in Ames, IA at a glance

Median salary

$30,420$2,535 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$22,500—
25th percentile$27,830—
75th percentile$34,670—
90th percentile$36,500—
Jobs in this metro780Location quotient 1.52 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here39% belowAll-jobs median $50,220
Against Iowaabout the same asStatewide median $30,510
Against the U.S.17% belowNational median $36,780

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 $30,000 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$15 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $30,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $30,000 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.

Teaching assistant salary in Ames, IA after taxes

$30,420
$15,000$65,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$30,420
Net 86%
Fed 5%
IA 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$26,118After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,177Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,005Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate14.1%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,470 / yr
Iowa state income tax$504 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,327 / yr
Customize deductions in full Iowa calculator

Teaching 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 teaching assistants earned in the Ames, IA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (IA)
10th percentile—$1,875$22,500$19,936
25th percentile—$2,319$27,830$24,122
MedianMedian—$2,535$30,420$26,118
75th percentile—$2,889$34,670$29,372
90th percentile—$3,042$36,500$30,773

Is $30,420 a good salary in Ames, IA?

It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for teaching 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 household41.6%of area median income

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

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Teaching assistants 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.

Teaching assistant pay in Ames, IA: common questions

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

The BLS median annual wage for teaching assistants in the Ames, IA metro area was $30,420 in May 2025, about $2,535 a month. Statewide, the Iowa median for this job is $30,510, so the metro pays about the same as the state.

Is there an hourly rate for teaching assistants in Ames, IA?

BLS publishes pay for this job as an annual salary only, because the hours worked in a year vary too much to state a meaningful hourly rate.

How many teaching assistants work in Ames, IA?

BLS estimated 780 jobs for teaching assistants in the metro in May 2025, or 13.9 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.52 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

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

BLS wage estimates for teaching assistants in Ames, IA run from $22,500 at the 10th percentile to $27,830 at the 25th, $34,670 at the 75th, and $36,500 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

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

On a median gross salary of $30,420, an estimated $26,118 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,005 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Iowa in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $4,302 (an effective rate of 14.1%).

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

On the median annual salary of $30,420, gross monthly income is $2,535. After federal, FICA, and Iowa state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,177 per month (or $1,005 every two weeks).

Is $30,420 a good salary in Ames, IA?

At $30,420, the median salary for teaching assistants is 41.6% of the Ames, IA median household income ($73,127). It is 39% 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.