Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education pay range in Ames
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $48,830 a year or less, while the top 10% make $80,340 or more. The middle half of elementary school teachers (except special education) in Ames earn between $49,940 and $76,530.
- $49K10th
- $50K25th
- $62KMedian
- $77K75th
- $80K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $62,190 | $5,182 | — |
| Median | $62,430 | $5,202 | — |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $49,940 | $4,162 | — |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $76,530 | $6,378 | — |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year (BLS publishes this job's pay as annual only).
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education salary after taxes in Ames
On the average salary of $62,190, a single filer in Ames takes home about $50,398 a year, or $4,200 a month and $1,938 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% 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 elementary school teachers (except special education)? 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 $62,190 buys what about $70,010 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.2 times the median wage of all jobs in Ames ($50,220). A typical home costs $280,269, or 4.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education salary in other Iowa cities
Ames ranks 3rd of 8 Iowa metro areas for this job; Davenport pays the most ($63,460).
- Davenport$63,460
- Sioux City$62,500
- Ames$62,190
- Cedar Rapids$61,380
- Iowa City$60,250
- Waterloo$60,150
- Des Moines$59,400
- Dubuque$57,680
All Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education salaries in Iowa
Highest-paying cities for elementary school teachers (except special education)
Mount Vernon, WA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($106,760).
- Mount Vernon, WA$106,760
- El Centro, CA$105,390
- Merced, CA$103,340
- San Jose, CA$102,340
- Seattle, WA$102,290
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education salary by city
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Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education salary in Ames: questions
What is the entry-level elementary school teachers (except special education) salary in Ames?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $48,830 a year and the 25th percentile is $49,940, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the elementary school teachers (except special education) take-home pay in Ames?
About $50,398 a year ($4,200 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $62,190. Iowa school district surtaxes (a percentage of state tax in some districts) are not included.
Do elementary school teachers (except special education) earn more in Ames than elsewhere?
The average here is 17% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($74,773).
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 25-2021; area Ames, IA (11180). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.3%.
- 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 0.88, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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