Information Security Analysts Salary
Information Security Analysts in Ames, IA make a median of $107,520 a year, or about $51.69 an hour. The range runs from $69K at the entry level to $157K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.83), which stretches that salary to about $121,040 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,153/month, or 17% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $108K 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 information security analysts
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What this looks like in Ames
Pay for information security analysts in Ames runs about 17% below the U.S. median of $129K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,153/month, 17.7% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. 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. Lower pay, lower costs, Ames can be a reasonable trade-off for information security analystss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for information security analysts in metros near Ames, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $124K | $135K |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $108K | $122K |
| Cedar Rapids | $109K | $123K |
| Iowa City | $120K | $132K |
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 information security analysts (10th percentile) start around $69K. Mid-career wages sit at $108K. Top earners bring in $157K or more, a $88K spread from bottom to top.
Information Security Analysts pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Information Security Analysts salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $155K | +20% | 6,030 |
| Maryland | $140K | +8% | 8,650 |
| California | $139K | +7% | 15,570 |
| Delaware | $137K | +6% | 720 |
| Massachusetts | $137K | +6% | 6,100 |
| Colorado | $135K | +5% | 5,700 |
| District of Columbia | $135K | +5% | 1,510 |
| Virginia | $135K | +4% | 19,120 |
| New Jersey | $135K | +4% | 4,860 |
| New York | $135K | +4% | 10,060 |
| North Carolina | $132K | +2% | 8,670 |
| Minnesota | $131K | +1% | 2,680 |
| Connecticut | $131K | +1% | 1,170 |
| New Mexico | $130K | +1% | 2,470 |
| Texas | $130K | +1% | 16,130 |
| Georgia | $129K | -0% | 6,290 |
| Hawaii | $126K | -2% | 580 |
| Arizona | $125K | -3% | 3,420 |
| Florida | $125K | -3% | 14,220 |
| Illinois | $124K | -4% | 5,260 |
| New Hampshire | $124K | -4% | 590 |
| Alabama | $123K | -5% | 4,010 |
| Iowa | $120K | -7% | 1,160 |
| Pennsylvania | $118K | -9% | 4,660 |
| South Dakota | $117K | -10% | 770 |
| Tennessee | $115K | -11% | 3,330 |
| Alaska | $115K | -11% | 300 |
| Ohio | $110K | -14% | 6,010 |
| Vermont | $110K | -15% | 220 |
| Rhode Island | $109K | -15% | 710 |
| North Dakota | $108K | -17% | 310 |
| Michigan | $106K | -18% | 3,280 |
| Nevada | $106K | -18% | 1,330 |
| South Carolina | $106K | -18% | 1,720 |
| Kentucky | $104K | -20% | 1,680 |
| Arkansas | $103K | -20% | 1,460 |
| Missouri | $103K | -20% | 3,260 |
| Maine | $102K | -21% | 400 |
| Wisconsin | $102K | -21% | 2,130 |
| Indiana | $101K | -21% | 2,260 |
| Kansas | $101K | -22% | 1,830 |
| Utah | $100K | -23% | 1,910 |
| Wyoming | $99K | -24% | 140 |
| Oklahoma | $94K | -27% | 1,640 |
| Louisiana | $93K | -28% | 720 |
| Nebraska | $93K | -28% | 1,210 |
| Mississippi | $88K | -32% | 480 |
| Montana | $82K | -37% | 380 |
Showing 1–10 of 48 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track information security analysts salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a information security analyst afford a 2BR apartment alone in Ames?
Yes — at the median salary of $108K, rent takes 17.7% 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 information security analysts in Ames?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new information security analysts typically earn — is $69K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,145/month. At HUD’s $1,153/month FMR, rent would take 28% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is information security analyst a high-paying job in Ames?
Local pay runs 17% below the national median — $108K here vs. $129K 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 information security analysts?
Ames pays $108K median vs. the U.S. average of $129K — that’s -17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.83), the purchasing-power equivalent is $121K — below the national median.
How much do information security analysts make in Ames, IA?
The median is $107,520 a year, that works out to about $52 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $69,090, and experienced information security analysts can clear $157,390. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $108K enough to live in Ames?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,527/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,153/month, which eats 17.7% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a information security analysts 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 information security analysts salary is worth about $121,040 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do information security analysts 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.