Animal Caretakers pay range in Ames
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $25,160 a year or less, while the top 10% make $56,010 or more. The middle half of animal caretakers in Ames earn between $31,340 and $47,190.
- $25K10th
- $31K25th
- $39KMedian
- $47K75th
- $56K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $39,820 | $3,318 | $19.14 |
| Median | $38,700 | $3,225 | $18.61 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $31,340 | $2,612 | $15.07 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $47,190 | $3,932 | $22.69 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Animal Caretakers salary after taxes in Ames
On the average salary of $39,820, a single filer in Ames takes home about $33,274 a year, or $2,773 a month and $1,280 every two weeks. Taxes take 16% 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 animal caretakers? 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 $39,820 buys what about $44,827 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Ames ($50,220). A typical home costs $280,269, or 7.0 years of this average salary before tax.
Animal Caretakers salary in other Iowa cities
Ames ranks 1st of 8 Iowa metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Ames$39,820
- Iowa City$36,350
- Davenport$34,640
- Des Moines$34,550
- Sioux City$31,560
- Cedar Rapids$31,210
- Waterloo$31,210
- Dubuque$30,660
Highest-paying cities for animal caretakers
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($47,930).
- San Jose, CA$47,930
- Seattle, WA$47,810
- San Francisco, CA$46,960
- Phoenix, AZ$46,050
- Barnstable, MA$45,910
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Animal Caretakers salary in Ames: questions
How much do animal caretakers make an hour in Ames?
$19.14 an hour on average, and $18.61 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level animal caretakers salary in Ames?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $25,160 a year and the 25th percentile is $31,340, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the animal caretakers take-home pay in Ames?
About $33,274 a year ($2,773 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $39,820. Iowa school district surtaxes (a percentage of state tax in some districts) are not included.
Do animal caretakers earn more in Ames than elsewhere?
The average here is 6% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($37,713).
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 39-2021; area Ames, IA (11180). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.0%.
- 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 2.02, this job is 2.0 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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