How Much Does a Dental Assistant Make in Ames, IA in 2026?
Typical pay for Dental Assistants in Ames, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Iowa.
BLS OES May 2025 · Ames metro area
A typical Dental Assistant in Ames, Iowa earns $23.63 per hour, or $49,140 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $4,095 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $45,490, and the top 10% of earners make over $60,270.
That pay is 1% above the Iowa figure of $48,430 and 2% above the national figure of $48,070. Ames ranks 3rd of 8 metro areas in Iowa for Dental Assistant pay. About 110 Dental Assistants work in the Ames area.
Dental Assistant pay in Ames at a glance
- Typical pay is $23.63 an hour, or $49,140 a year.
- That is 1% above the Iowa figure, ranking 3rd of 8 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $45,490; the top 10% make over $60,270.
- Typical pay rose +15% from 2015 to 2025, against +29% for Iowa as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Dental Assistant make in Ames?
Pay in Ames runs from entry-level positions at around $21.87 an hour to more than $28.98 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Iowa and national figures.
Dental Assistant pay by career stage in Ames
| Career stage | Ames | Iowa | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $45,490$21.87 an hour | $39,360$18.92 an hour | $37,130$17.85 an hour |
| First years | $47,650$22.91 an hour | $45,990$22.11 an hour | $44,340$21.32 an hour |
| Typical Dental Assistant | $49,140$23.63 an hour | $48,430$23.28 an hour | $48,070$23.11 an hour |
| Experienced | $58,640$28.19 an hour | $57,620$27.70 an hour | $58,090$27.93 an hour |
| Top 10% | $60,270$28.98 an hour | $59,580$28.65 an hour | $62,250$29.93 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Ames area as BLS defines it
Dental Assistant pay growth in Ames
Typical (median) annual wage for Dental Assistants in the Ames area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Dental Assistant pay in Ames was $42,850 a year. By 2025 it had reached $49,140, a change of +15%, compared with +29% for Iowa over the same years.
How Ames compares with other Iowa cities
Des Moines pays Dental Assistants the most in Iowa at $50,020 a year, $880 more than Ames. The lowest-paying area in the state is Davenport at $47,410.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Ames | Dental Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Des Moines metro incl. West Des Moines | $50,020 | $24.05 | +2% | 660 |
| 2 | Iowa City | $49,230 | $23.67 | 0% | 280 |
| 3 | Ames | $49,140 | $23.63 | this city | 110 |
| 4 | Sioux City | $48,590 | $23.36 | -1% | 190 |
| 5 | Cedar Rapids | $48,310 | $23.23 | -2% | 370 |
| 6 | Cedar Falls metro incl. Waterloo | $47,970 | $23.06 | -2% | 170 |
| 7 | Dubuque | $47,850 | $23.00 | -3% | 160 |
| 8 | Davenport | $47,410 | $22.79 | -4% | 380 |
Every metro area in Iowa with Dental Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Iowa typical pay $48,430
Is Ames a good place to work as a Dental Assistant?
Dental Assistant pay in Ames sits close to the national figure: $49,140 a year, 2% above the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Ames area, about 2.0 are Dental Assistant positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 2.4. That makes Dental Assistants a smaller part of the local job market than usual, so employers draw from a smaller pool of qualified candidates.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Dental Assistant make in Ames, IA?
- A typical Dental Assistant in Ames earns $49,140 a year, or $23.63 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $45,490 and the top 10% earn over $60,270.
- How much does a Dental Assistant make an hour in Ames?
- Typical hourly pay for Dental Assistants in Ames is $23.63. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $21.87, and the top 10% earn over $28.98 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Dental Assistant in Ames?
- Entry-level Dental Assistant positions in Ames typically offer around $21.87 an hour, or $45,490 a year.
- Is Dental Assistant pay in Ames higher than in the rest of Iowa?
- Ames pay is 1% above the Iowa figure of $48,430 a year, ranking 3rd of 8 metro areas in the state. Des Moines pays the most in Iowa at $50,020.