Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians Salary
Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians in Ames, IA make a median of $63,490 a year, or about $30.52 an hour. The range runs from $49K at the entry level to $78K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.83), which stretches that salary to about $71,474 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,153/month, or 27.6% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $63K 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 farm equipment mechanics and service technicians
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What this looks like in Ames
Ames sits well above the national pay line for farm equipment mechanics and service technicians, local pay runs about 12% higher than the U.S. median of $57K. Rent runs $1,153/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27.7% 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 farm equipment mechanics and service technicians in metros near Ames, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $64K | $70K |
| Dubuque | $62K | $70K |
| Iowa City | $61K | $67K |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls | $62K | $71K |
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 farm equipment mechanics and service technicians (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $63K. Top earners bring in $78K or more, a $29K spread from bottom to top.
Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada | $65K | +15% | 70 |
| North Dakota | $63K | +11% | 770 |
| New Jersey | $62K | +10% | 260 |
| South Dakota | $62K | +10% | 820 |
| Delaware | $62K | +9% | 70 |
| Montana | $62K | +9% | 400 |
| Washington | $61K | +9% | 1,120 |
| Wyoming | $61K | +8% | 90 |
| Oregon | $61K | +8% | 660 |
| Indiana | $60K | +7% | 1,200 |
| Maryland | $60K | +7% | N/A |
| Iowa | $60K | +6% | 2,210 |
| Idaho | $60K | +5% | 680 |
| Illinois | $59K | +5% | 1,770 |
| Maine | $59K | +4% | 130 |
| Wisconsin | $59K | +4% | 1,560 |
| Oklahoma | $59K | +4% | 380 |
| Vermont | $59K | +4% | 130 |
| Connecticut | $59K | +4% | 70 |
| Minnesota | $58K | +3% | 1,620 |
| Texas | $57K | +1% | 2,200 |
| New York | $57K | +0% | 650 |
| Utah | $56K | -1% | 190 |
| Colorado | $55K | -2% | 270 |
| California | $54K | -5% | 4,730 |
| Arizona | $54K | -5% | 700 |
| Ohio | $53K | -6% | 1,300 |
| Missouri | $51K | -9% | 960 |
| Pennsylvania | $51K | -9% | 990 |
| Michigan | $51K | -10% | 980 |
| North Carolina | $51K | -10% | 300 |
| New Hampshire | $50K | -11% | 70 |
| Kansas | $50K | -11% | 2,130 |
| Georgia | $50K | -11% | 570 |
| Alabama | $50K | -12% | 680 |
| Hawaii | $50K | -12% | 40 |
| New Mexico | $50K | -12% | 120 |
| Nebraska | $50K | -12% | 1,770 |
| Mississippi | $49K | -13% | 520 |
| Arkansas | $49K | -13% | 790 |
| Kentucky | $49K | -13% | 800 |
| Florida | $48K | -14% | 800 |
| Louisiana | $48K | -15% | 320 |
| Tennessee | $48K | -15% | 1,030 |
| Virginia | $48K | -16% | 460 |
| South Carolina | $47K | -18% | 260 |
| West Virginia | $46K | -18% | 60 |
Showing 1–10 of 47 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track farm equipment mechanics and service technicians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Ames numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a farm equipment mechanics and service technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Ames?
Yes — at the median salary of $63K, rent takes 27.7% 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 farm equipment mechanics and service technicians in Ames?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new farm equipment mechanics and service technicians typically earn — is $49K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,916/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 farm equipment mechanics and service technician a high-paying job in Ames?
Local pay is 12% above the national median — $63K here vs. $57K nationally.
How does Ames compare to the national average for farm equipment mechanics and service technicians?
Ames pays $63K median vs. the U.S. average of $57K — that’s +12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.83), the purchasing-power equivalent is $71K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do farm equipment mechanics and service technicians make in Ames, IA?
The median is $63,490 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $48,600, and experienced farm equipment mechanics and service technicians can clear $77,680. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $63K enough to live in Ames?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,155/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,153/month, which eats 27.7% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a farm equipment mechanics and service technicians 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 farm equipment mechanics and service technicians salary is worth about $71,474 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do farm equipment mechanics and service technicians 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.