Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders pay range in Ames
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $36,760 a year or less, while the top 10% make $56,280 or more. The middle half of packaging and filling machine operators and tenders in Ames earn between $40,810 and $49,170.
- $37K10th
- $41K25th
- $48KMedian
- $49K75th
- $56K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $45,920 | $3,827 | $22.08 |
| Median | $48,250 | $4,021 | $23.20 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $40,810 | $3,401 | $19.62 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $49,170 | $4,098 | $23.64 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders pay in Ames vs. Iowa and the U.S.
Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders in Ames earn 5% less than the Iowa average ($48,340) and about the same as the U.S. average ($44,590). At the median the gap is +12% against the U.S. median of $43,220.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ames | $45,920 | $48,250 | $36,760 | $56,280 | 280 |
| Iowa | $48,340 | $45,660 | $37,040 | $63,230 | 6,990 |
| United States | $44,590 | $43,220 | $33,390 | $60,030 | 379,060 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders salary after taxes in Ames
On the average salary of $45,920, a single filer in Ames takes home about $37,944 a year, or $3,162 a month and $1,459 every two weeks. Taxes take 17% 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 packaging and filling machine operators and tenders? 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 $45,920 buys what about $51,694 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.0 times the median wage of all jobs in Ames ($50,220). A typical home costs $280,269, or 6.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders salary in other Iowa cities
Ames ranks 4th of 8 Iowa metro areas for this job; Cedar Rapids pays the most ($62,650).
- Cedar Rapids$62,650
- Des Moines$49,050
- Dubuque$47,910
- Ames$45,920
- Sioux City$44,220
- Waterloo$43,860
- Iowa City$43,340
- Davenport$41,910
All Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders salaries in Iowa
Highest-paying cities for packaging and filling machine operators and tenders
Fort Collins, CO pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($63,880).
- Fort Collins, CO$63,880
- Cedar Rapids, IA$62,650
- Salisbury, MD$61,560
- Manchester, NH$60,260
- Battle Creek, MI$56,530
Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders salary by city
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Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders salary in Ames: questions
How much do packaging and filling machine operators and tenders make an hour in Ames?
$22.08 an hour on average, and $23.20 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level packaging and filling machine operators and tenders salary in Ames?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $36,760 a year and the 25th percentile is $40,810, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the packaging and filling machine operators and tenders take-home pay in Ames?
About $37,944 a year ($3,162 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $45,920. Iowa school district surtaxes (a percentage of state tax in some districts) are not included.
Do packaging and filling machine operators and tenders earn more in Ames than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as the U.S. average for this job ($44,590).
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 51-9111; area Ames, IA (11180). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.8%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- 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 2.09, this job is 2.1 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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