Buyers and Purchasing Agents Salary
In Ames, IA, buyers and purchasing agents earn $68,880 at the median, or about $33.12 an hour. The range runs from $49K at the entry level to $106K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.83), which stretches that salary to about $77,541 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,153/month, or 25.5% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $69K get you in Ames?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Ames’s Regional Price Parity (88.83). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About buyers and purchasing agents
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What this looks like in Ames
Pay for buyers and purchasing agents in Ames runs about 11% below the U.S. median of $78K. Rent runs $1,153/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 25.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.83 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for buyers and purchasing agents in metros near Ames, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $85K | $95K |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $74K | $80K |
| Cedar Rapids | $69K | $77K |
| Dubuque | $66K | $76K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Ames, IA
Entry-level buyers and purchasing agents (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $69K. Top earners bring in $106K or more, a $58K spread from bottom to top.
Buyers and Purchasing Agents pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Buyers and Purchasing Agents salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $124K | +60% | 1,880 |
| New Jersey | $93K | +20% | 12,180 |
| Maryland | $91K | +17% | 8,900 |
| Virginia | $89K | +15% | 22,120 |
| Rhode Island | $86K | +11% | N/A |
| Massachusetts | $86K | +11% | 12,820 |
| Washington | $85K | +10% | 15,400 |
| Colorado | $84K | +8% | 10,080 |
| Alaska | $83K | +7% | 890 |
| Connecticut | $83K | +7% | 5,530 |
| Delaware | $83K | +7% | 1,400 |
| California | $83K | +6% | 48,010 |
| Minnesota | $80K | +3% | 10,960 |
| New York | $79K | +2% | 31,240 |
| Illinois | $78K | +1% | 19,660 |
| Maine | $78K | -0% | 1,180 |
| New Hampshire | $77K | -1% | 2,580 |
| New Mexico | $77K | -1% | 2,250 |
| Ohio | $76K | -2% | 21,640 |
| North Dakota | $76K | -2% | 880 |
| Texas | $76K | -2% | 44,030 |
| Michigan | $76K | -2% | 16,680 |
| North Carolina | $76K | -2% | 14,290 |
| Arkansas | $76K | -2% | 4,510 |
| West Virginia | $76K | -3% | 1,130 |
| South Carolina | $76K | -3% | 6,150 |
| Arizona | $75K | -3% | 10,870 |
| Oregon | $75K | -3% | 7,090 |
| Nebraska | $75K | -4% | 2,850 |
| Utah | $75K | -4% | 4,090 |
| Georgia | $75K | -4% | 15,710 |
| Hawaii | $74K | -4% | 1,720 |
| Alabama | $74K | -5% | 8,960 |
| South Dakota | $74K | -5% | 1,180 |
| Pennsylvania | $74K | -5% | 17,430 |
| Nevada | $73K | -6% | 2,310 |
| Florida | $73K | -6% | 30,270 |
| Wyoming | $72K | -7% | 570 |
| Oklahoma | $72K | -8% | 4,750 |
| Mississippi | $72K | -8% | 2,240 |
| Wisconsin | $71K | -9% | 9,240 |
| Iowa | $70K | -9% | 4,570 |
| Kansas | $70K | -11% | 6,470 |
| Indiana | $69K | -11% | 10,720 |
| Idaho | $69K | -11% | 1,610 |
| Louisiana | $66K | -15% | 3,440 |
| Missouri | $66K | -16% | 8,070 |
| Tennessee | $65K | -16% | 11,420 |
| Vermont | $65K | -16% | 1,010 |
| Kentucky | $65K | -16% | 5,440 |
| Montana | $63K | -19% | 1,230 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track buyers and purchasing agents salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a buyers and purchasing agent afford a 2BR apartment alone in Ames?
Yes — at the median salary of $69K, rent takes 25.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,153/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for buyers and purchasing agents in Ames?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new buyers and purchasing agents typically earn — is $49K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,918/month. At HUD’s $1,153/month FMR, rent would take 40% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is buyers and purchasing agent a high-paying job in Ames?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $69K here vs. $78K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Ames compare to the national average for buyers and purchasing agents?
Ames pays $69K median vs. the U.S. average of $78K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.83), the purchasing-power equivalent is $78K — below the national median.
How much do buyers and purchasing agents make in Ames, IA?
The median is $68,880 a year, that works out to about $33 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $48,640, and experienced buyers and purchasing agents can clear $106,230. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $69K enough to live in Ames?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,445/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,153/month, which eats 25.9% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a buyers and purchasing agents salary go in Ames?
Ames has a Regional Price Parity of 88.83 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median buyers and purchasing agents salary is worth about $77,541 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do buyers and purchasing agents get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.