How Much Does an NP Make in Ames, IA in 2026?
Typical pay for NPs 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 NP in Ames, Iowa earns $61.34 per hour, or $127,600 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $10,633 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $79,660, and the top 10% of earners make over $172,140.
That pay is 2% below the Iowa figure of $130,160 and 4% below the national figure of $132,300. Ames ranks 7th of 8 metro areas in Iowa for NP pay. About 70 NPs work in the Ames area.
NP pay in Ames at a glance
- Typical pay is $61.34 an hour, or $127,600 a year.
- That is 2% below the Iowa figure, ranking 7th of 8 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $79,660; the top 10% make over $172,140.
- Typical pay rose +30% from 2015 to 2025, against +40% for Iowa as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does an NP make in Ames?
Pay in Ames runs from entry-level positions at around $38.30 an hour to more than $82.76 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Iowa and national figures.
NP pay by career stage in Ames
| Career stage | Ames | Iowa | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $79,660$38.30 an hour | $107,990$51.92 an hour | $101,340$48.72 an hour |
| First years | $104,750$50.36 an hour | $122,720$59.00 an hour | $117,990$56.73 an hour |
| Typical NP | $127,600$61.34 an hour | $130,160$62.58 an hour | $132,300$63.61 an hour |
| Experienced | $140,360$67.48 an hour | $141,940$68.24 an hour | $156,700$75.34 an hour |
| Top 10% | $172,140$82.76 an hour | $167,590$80.57 an hour | $174,420$83.86 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Ames area as BLS defines it
NP pay growth in Ames
Typical (median) annual wage for NPs in the Ames area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical NP pay in Ames was $98,500 a year. By 2025 it had reached $127,600, a change of +30%, compared with +40% for Iowa over the same years.
How Ames compares with other Iowa cities
Des Moines pays NPs the most in Iowa at $132,230 a year, $4,630 more than Ames. The lowest-paying area in the state is Cedar Falls at $126,330.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Ames | NPs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Des Moines metro incl. West Des Moines | $132,230 | $63.57 | +4% | 820 |
| 2 | Davenport | $130,400 | $62.69 | +2% | 390 |
| 3 | Cedar Rapids | $129,890 | $62.45 | +2% | 240 |
| 4 | Dubuque | $129,620 | $62.32 | +2% | 130 |
| 5 | Sioux City | $129,060 | $62.05 | +1% | 150 |
| 6 | Iowa City | $129,030 | $62.04 | +1% | 330 |
| 7 | Ames | $127,600 | $61.34 | this city | 70 |
| 8 | Waterloo metro incl. Cedar Falls | $126,330 | $60.73 | -1% | 260 |
Every metro area in Iowa with NP wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Iowa typical pay $130,160
Is Ames a good place to work as an NP?
NP pay in Ames sits close to the national figure: $127,600 a year, 4% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Ames area, about 1.3 are NP positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 2.0. That makes NPs 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 NP make in Ames, IA?
- A typical NP in Ames earns $127,600 a year, or $61.34 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $79,660 and the top 10% earn over $172,140.
- How much does an NP make an hour in Ames?
- Typical hourly pay for NPs in Ames is $61.34. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $38.30, and the top 10% earn over $82.76 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for an NP in Ames?
- Entry-level NP positions in Ames typically offer around $38.30 an hour, or $79,660 a year.
- Is NP pay in Ames higher than in the rest of Iowa?
- Ames pay is 2% below the Iowa figure of $130,160 a year, ranking 7th of 8 metro areas in the state. Des Moines pays the most in Iowa at $132,230.