How Much Does a Home Health Aide Make in Ames, IA in 2026?
Typical pay for Home Health Aides 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 Home Health Aide in Ames, Iowa earns $17.14 per hour, or $35,660 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $2,972 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $32,030, and the top 10% of earners make over $44,980.
That pay is 1% below the Iowa figure of $36,080 and right at the national figure of $35,800. Ames ranks 5th of 8 metro areas in Iowa for Home Health Aide pay. About 700 Home Health Aides work in the Ames area.
Home Health Aide pay in Ames at a glance
- Typical pay is $17.14 an hour, or $35,660 a year.
- That is 1% below the Iowa figure, ranking 5th of 8 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $32,030; the top 10% make over $44,980.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Home Health Aide make in Ames?
Pay in Ames runs from entry-level positions at around $15.40 an hour to more than $21.62 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Iowa and national figures.
Home Health Aide pay by career stage in Ames
| Career stage | Ames | Iowa | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $32,030$15.40 an hour | $30,420$14.63 an hour | $27,040$13.00 an hour |
| First years | $33,750$16.22 an hour | $33,570$16.14 an hour | $31,920$15.35 an hour |
| Typical Home Health Aide | $35,660$17.14 an hour | $36,080$17.34 an hour | $35,800$17.21 an hour |
| Experienced | $40,120$19.29 an hour | $39,630$19.05 an hour | $39,470$18.98 an hour |
| Top 10% | $44,980$21.62 an hour | $45,490$21.87 an hour | $45,040$21.65 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Ames area as BLS defines it
Home Health Aide pay growth in Ames
Typical (median) annual wage for Home Health Aides in the Ames area · BLS OES May estimates, 2019 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2019, typical Home Health Aide pay in Ames was $26,290 a year. By 2025 it had reached $35,660.
How Ames compares with other Iowa cities
Dubuque pays Home Health Aides the most in Iowa at $38,090 a year, $2,430 more than Ames. The lowest-paying area in the state is Davenport at $34,370.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Ames | Home Health Aides employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dubuque | $38,090 | $18.31 | +7% | 1,020 |
| 2 | Sioux City | $36,580 | $17.59 | +3% | 1,230 |
| 3 | Cedar Falls metro incl. Waterloo | $36,510 | $17.55 | +2% | 1,320 |
| 4 | West Des Moines metro incl. Des Moines | $36,350 | $17.48 | +2% | 6,210 |
| 5 | Ames | $35,660 | $17.14 | this city | 700 |
| 6 | Iowa City | $35,630 | $17.13 | 0% | 1,780 |
| 7 | Cedar Rapids | $35,370 | $17.00 | -1% | 2,260 |
| 8 | Davenport | $34,370 | $16.52 | -4% | 2,280 |
Every metro area in Iowa with Home Health Aide wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Iowa typical pay $36,080
Is Ames a good place to work as a Home Health Aide?
Home Health Aide pay in Ames sits close to the national figure: $35,660 a year, right at the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Ames area, about 13 are Home Health Aide positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 28. That makes Home Health Aides 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 Home Health Aide make in Ames, IA?
- A typical Home Health Aide in Ames earns $35,660 a year, or $17.14 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $32,030 and the top 10% earn over $44,980.
- How much does a Home Health Aide make an hour in Ames?
- Typical hourly pay for Home Health Aides in Ames is $17.14. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $15.40, and the top 10% earn over $21.62 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Home Health Aide in Ames?
- Entry-level Home Health Aide positions in Ames typically offer around $15.40 an hour, or $32,030 a year.
- Is Home Health Aide pay in Ames higher than in the rest of Iowa?
- Ames pay is 1% below the Iowa figure of $36,080 a year, ranking 5th of 8 metro areas in the state. Dubuque pays the most in Iowa at $38,090.