Jobs in Ames, IA Pay, demand and occupations in this metropolitan area.
In short: Ames, IA: 55,890 jobs, median pay $50,220 a year.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 09/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
$50,220 median pay
55,890 jobs
3 cities listed
$104,180 top (90th pct.)
Overview Largest occupations Top pay Fields Cities Open jobs FAQ Sources Largest occupations METRO Official statistic Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 · Data: May 2025
The 40 largest occupations here (at least 100 jobs).
Sort: Occupation Jobs Median pay Entry (10th pct.) Top (90th pct.) Location quotient A–Z / Smallest first ▲ Z–A / Largest first ▼
Occupation ⇅ Jobs ⇅ Median pay ⇅ Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ Top (90th pct.) ⇅ Location quotient ⇅ Fast Food and Counter Workers 1,620 $29,220 $21,680 $36,710 1.17 Cashiers 1,470 $29,230 $23,280 $36,430 1.33 Retail Salespersons 1,460 $32,460 $26,450 $46,130 1.04 Stockers and Order Fillers 1,110 $36,240 $29,900 $48,460 1.09 Registered Nurses 1,070 $77,160 $64,360 $99,440 0.88 General and Operations Managers 1,040 $97,700 $43,680 $200,000 0.82 Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 1,030 $35,300 $29,540 $47,180 1.29 Waiters and Waitresses 1,010 $22,710 $15,080 $50,610 1.24 Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary 780 $30,420 $22,500 $36,500 1.52 Nursing Assistants 770 $43,540 $37,010 $48,920 1.47 Office Clerks, General 710 $45,450 $30,770 $62,820 0.80 Business Operations Specialists, All Other 710 $76,510 $49,910 $104,380 1.82 Home Health and Personal Care Aides 700 $35,660 $32,030 $44,980 0.45 Customer Service Representatives 690 $42,820 $30,820 $63,040 0.74 Maintenance and Repair Workers, General 670 $54,770 $37,480 $73,830 1.22 Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand 650 $40,280 $31,050 $58,320 0.61 Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers 640 $54,510 $42,430 $69,200 0.87 Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive 620 $48,740 $36,640 $61,600 1.02 Construction Laborers 600 $49,810 $39,950 $71,380 1.52 Cooks, Restaurant 570 $36,410 $29,380 $48,200 1.13 Accountants and Auditors 530 $79,320 $52,370 $126,450 1.02 First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers 490 $39,710 $29,080 $61,700 1.11 Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks 470 $47,970 $32,770 $68,010 0.95 Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators 470 $49,360 $37,940 $59,840 0.94 Software Developers 470 $129,440 $74,990 $165,040 0.77 Bartenders 450 $21,580 $17,260 $38,780 1.65 Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products 440 $68,680 $40,650 $125,260 0.99 Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education 440 $62,430 $48,830 $80,340 0.88 Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants 420 $40,210 $34,530 $49,030 1.20 Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors 400 $50,260 $50,260 $73,510 3.18 Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers 390 $44,580 $28,900 $58,660 1.12 Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists 380 $61,100 $40,370 $102,140 1.16 Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria 380 $36,540 $28,980 $47,320 2.37 First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers 350 $48,300 $32,240 $76,060 0.87 Computer User Support Specialists 350 $63,830 $47,060 $100,560 1.35 Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education 310 $63,450 $48,450 $81,930 0.82 First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers 300 $74,160 $46,470 $99,010 1.22 First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers 290 $72,260 $52,760 $103,340 0.98 Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education 290 $30,590 $28,500 $47,390 1.66 Civil Engineers 290 $100,200 $66,350 $127,370 2.20
Top pay METRO Official statistic Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 · Data: May 2025
The 40 highest-paying occupations among those with at least 300 jobs.
Sort: Occupation Jobs Median pay Entry (10th pct.) Top (90th pct.) Location quotient A–Z / Smallest first ▲ Z–A / Largest first ▼
Occupation ⇅ Jobs ⇅ Median pay ⇅ Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ Top (90th pct.) ⇅ Location quotient ⇅ Software Developers 470 $129,440 $74,990 $165,040 0.77 General and Operations Managers 1,040 $97,700 $43,680 $200,000 0.82 Accountants and Auditors 530 $79,320 $52,370 $126,450 1.02 Registered Nurses 1,070 $77,160 $64,360 $99,440 0.88 Business Operations Specialists, All Other 710 $76,510 $49,910 $104,380 1.82 First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers 300 $74,160 $46,470 $99,010 1.22 Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products 440 $68,680 $40,650 $125,260 0.99 Computer User Support Specialists 350 $63,830 $47,060 $100,560 1.35 Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education 310 $63,450 $48,450 $81,930 0.82 Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education 440 $62,430 $48,830 $80,340 0.88 Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists 380 $61,100 $40,370 $102,140 1.16 Maintenance and Repair Workers, General 670 $54,770 $37,480 $73,830 1.22 Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers 640 $54,510 $42,430 $69,200 0.87 Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors 400 $50,260 $50,260 $73,510 3.18 Construction Laborers 600 $49,810 $39,950 $71,380 1.52 Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators 470 $49,360 $37,940 $59,840 0.94 Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive 620 $48,740 $36,640 $61,600 1.02 First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers 350 $48,300 $32,240 $76,060 0.87 Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks 470 $47,970 $32,770 $68,010 0.95 Office Clerks, General 710 $45,450 $30,770 $62,820 0.80 Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers 390 $44,580 $28,900 $58,660 1.12 Nursing Assistants 770 $43,540 $37,010 $48,920 1.47 Customer Service Representatives 690 $42,820 $30,820 $63,040 0.74 Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand 650 $40,280 $31,050 $58,320 0.61 Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants 420 $40,210 $34,530 $49,030 1.20 First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers 490 $39,710 $29,080 $61,700 1.11 Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria 380 $36,540 $28,980 $47,320 2.37 Cooks, Restaurant 570 $36,410 $29,380 $48,200 1.13 Stockers and Order Fillers 1,110 $36,240 $29,900 $48,460 1.09 Home Health and Personal Care Aides 700 $35,660 $32,030 $44,980 0.45 Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 1,030 $35,300 $29,540 $47,180 1.29 Retail Salespersons 1,460 $32,460 $26,450 $46,130 1.04 Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary 780 $30,420 $22,500 $36,500 1.52 Cashiers 1,470 $29,230 $23,280 $36,430 1.33 Fast Food and Counter Workers 1,620 $29,220 $21,680 $36,710 1.17 Waiters and Waitresses 1,010 $22,710 $15,080 $50,610 1.24 Bartenders 450 $21,580 $17,260 $38,780 1.65
Fields METRO Official statistic Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 · Data: May 2025
Sort: Field Jobs Median pay Location quotient A–Z / Smallest first ▲ Z–A / Largest first ▼
Field ⇅ Jobs ⇅ Median pay ⇅ Location quotient ⇅ Food Preparation and Serving Related 5,630 $30,020 1.14 Office and Administrative Support 5,290 $46,490 0.83 Educational Instruction and Library 5,070 $61,790 1.55 Sales and Related 4,750 $34,950 0.99 Transportation and Material Moving 3,880 $45,050 0.79 Management 3,850 $105,110 0.96 Production 3,680 $49,700 1.20 Business and Financial Operations 3,530 $76,560 0.93 Healthcare Practitioners and Technical 3,070 $73,990 0.87 Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 2,350 $61,500 1.07 Construction and Extraction 2,280 $59,280 0.99 Healthcare Support 2,080 $39,250 0.73 Computer and Mathematical 1,840 $88,780 0.97 Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance 1,840 $36,120 1.13 Life, Physical, and Social Science 1,370 $72,810 2.60 Personal Care and Service 1,350 $31,110 1.15 Architecture and Engineering 1,200 $82,310 1.28 Community and Social Service 990 $50,260 1.03 Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 770 $57,110 1.05 Protective Service 730 $53,250 0.54 Legal 200 $71,230 0.43 Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 120 $45,030 0.75
Open jobs Open private-sector jobs by city of this area:
Ames · Boone · Nevada
FAQ How many jobs are there in Ames, IA? BLS counts 55,890 wage-and-salary jobs (OEWS, May 2025).
What is the median pay in Ames, IA? $50,220 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Which occupation pays most in Ames, IA? Software Developers, with a median of $129,440 among occupations with at least 300 jobs.
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Legend: CITY city data · COUNTY state data · NATIONAL national data (all US), not specific to this place · LIVE USAJOBS (federal) feed. Every block shows its source, date and type (official statistic, estimate, live feed, indicator).AtiveSite — Todos os direitos reservados. Jobs United States criado por AtiveSite. Reprodução, cópia ou revenda sem autorização são proibidas (Leis 9.610/98 e 9.609/98).