Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary pay range in Ames
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $22,500 a year or less, while the top 10% make $36,500 or more. The middle half of teaching assistants (except postsecondary) in Ames earn between $27,830 and $34,670.
- $22K10th
- $28K25th
- $30KMedian
- $35K75th
- $36K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $30,720 | $2,560 | — |
| Median | $30,420 | $2,535 | — |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $27,830 | $2,319 | — |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $34,670 | $2,889 | — |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year (BLS publishes this job's pay as annual only). Hourly to annual salary.
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary pay in Ames vs. Iowa and the U.S.
Teaching assistants (except postsecondary) in Ames earn about the same as the Iowa average ($31,160) and 20% less than the U.S. average ($38,290). At the median the gap is -17% against the U.S. median of $36,780.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ames | $30,720 | $30,420 | $22,500 | $36,500 | 780 |
| Iowa | $31,160 | $30,510 | $22,400 | $37,520 | 24,520 |
| United States | $38,290 | $36,780 | $27,150 | $50,040 | 1,420,350 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary salary after taxes in Ames
On the average salary of $30,720, a single filer in Ames takes home about $26,308 a year, or $2,192 a month and $1,012 every two weeks. Taxes take 14% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Iowa school district surtaxes (a percentage of state tax in some districts) are not included.
Is Ames a good place for teaching assistants (except postsecondary)? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Ames area are 11% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 88.8), so the average $30,720 buys what about $34,583 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Ames ($50,220). A typical home costs $280,269, or 9.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary salary in other Iowa cities
Ames ranks 6th of 8 Iowa metro areas for this job; Davenport pays the most ($35,200).
- Davenport$35,200
- Des Moines$33,080
- Cedar Rapids$32,050
- Sioux City$31,450
- Iowa City$30,790
- Ames$30,720
- Dubuque$30,690
- Waterloo$30,300
All Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary salaries in Iowa
Highest-paying cities for teaching assistants (except postsecondary)
Seattle, WA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($54,720).
- Seattle, WA$54,720
- Mount Vernon, WA$54,130
- San Francisco, CA$52,640
- Bremerton, WA$51,970
- San Jose, CA$51,670
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Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary salary in Ames: questions
What is the entry-level teaching assistants (except postsecondary) salary in Ames?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $22,500 a year and the 25th percentile is $27,830, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the teaching assistants (except postsecondary) take-home pay in Ames?
About $26,308 a year ($2,192 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $30,720. Iowa school district surtaxes (a percentage of state tax in some districts) are not included.
Do teaching assistants (except postsecondary) earn more in Ames than elsewhere?
The average here is 20% less than the U.S. average for this job ($38,290).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 25-9045; area Ames, IA (11180). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.1%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Iowa school district surtaxes (a percentage of state tax in some districts) are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.52, this job is 1.5 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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