How Much Does an LPN Make in Ames, IA in 2026?
Typical pay for LPNs 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 LPN in Ames, Iowa earns $31.55 per hour, or $65,610 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $5,468 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $51,420, and the top 10% of earners make over $78,050.
That pay is 5% above the Iowa figure of $62,630 and 2% above the national figure of $64,400. Ames ranks 1st of 8 metro areas in Iowa for LPN pay. About 190 LPNs work in the Ames area.
LPN pay in Ames at a glance
- Typical pay is $31.55 an hour, or $65,610 a year.
- That is 5% above the Iowa figure, ranking 1st of 8 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $51,420; the top 10% make over $78,050.
- Typical pay rose +60% from 2015 to 2025, against +60% for Iowa as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does an LPN make in Ames?
Pay in Ames runs from entry-level positions at around $24.72 an hour to more than $37.52 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Iowa and national figures.
LPN pay by career stage in Ames
| Career stage | Ames | Iowa | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $51,420$24.72 an hour | $50,550$24.30 an hour | $49,740$23.91 an hour |
| First years | $52,990$25.48 an hour | $56,400$27.12 an hour | $59,000$28.37 an hour |
| Typical LPN | $65,610$31.55 an hour | $62,630$30.11 an hour | $64,400$30.96 an hour |
| Experienced | $75,930$36.51 an hour | $70,840$34.06 an hour | $76,030$36.55 an hour |
| Top 10% | $78,050$37.52 an hour | $77,710$37.36 an hour | $83,440$40.12 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Ames area as BLS defines it
LPN pay growth in Ames
Typical (median) annual wage for LPNs in the Ames area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical LPN pay in Ames was $40,880 a year. By 2025 it had reached $65,610, a change of +60%, compared with +60% for Iowa over the same years.
How Ames compares with other Iowa cities
Ames pays LPNs the most of any metro area in Iowa. The lowest-paying area in the state is Cedar Falls at $59,950.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Ames | LPNs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ames | $65,610 | $31.55 | this city | 190 |
| 2 | Davenport | $64,100 | $30.82 | -2% | 640 |
| 3 | Dubuque | $63,750 | $30.65 | -3% | 200 |
| 4 | Iowa City | $63,690 | $30.62 | -3% | 230 |
| 5 | West Des Moines metro incl. Des Moines | $63,670 | $30.61 | -3% | 1,040 |
| 6 | Cedar Rapids | $61,840 | $29.73 | -6% | 380 |
| 7 | Sioux City | $60,440 | $29.06 | -8% | 260 |
| 8 | Waterloo metro incl. Cedar Falls | $59,950 | $28.82 | -9% | 360 |
Every metro area in Iowa with LPN wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Iowa typical pay $62,630
Is Ames a good place to work as an LPN?
LPN pay in Ames sits close to the national figure: $65,610 a year, 2% above the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Ames area, about 3.4 are LPN positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 4.1. That makes LPNs 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 an LPN make in Ames, IA?
- A typical LPN in Ames earns $65,610 a year, or $31.55 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $51,420 and the top 10% earn over $78,050.
- How much does an LPN make an hour in Ames?
- Typical hourly pay for LPNs in Ames is $31.55. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $24.72, and the top 10% earn over $37.52 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for an LPN in Ames?
- Entry-level LPN positions in Ames typically offer around $24.72 an hour, or $51,420 a year.
- Is LPN pay in Ames higher than in the rest of Iowa?
- Ames pay is 5% above the Iowa figure of $62,630 a year, ranking 1st of 8 metro areas in the state.