Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other Salary
Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Others in Ames, IA make a median of $65,020 a year, or about $31.26 an hour. The range runs from $48K at the entry level to $85K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.83), which stretches that salary to about $73,196 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,153/month, or 27% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $65K 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 life, physical, and social science technicians, all others
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What this looks like in Ames
Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other pay in Ames tracks closely to the national median, $65K locally vs. $62K nationwide, a 4% difference. Rent runs $1,153/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27.2% 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. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for life, physical, and social science technicians, all others in metros near Ames, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $44K | $48K |
| Iowa City | $63K | $69K |
| Cedar Rapids | $50K | $56K |
| St. Louis | $54K | $57K |
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 life, physical, and social science technicians, all others (10th percentile) start around $48K. Mid-career wages sit at $65K. Top earners bring in $85K or more, a $37K spread from bottom to top.
Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma | $86K | +39% | 460 |
| District of Columbia | $79K | +27% | 150 |
| California | $78K | +26% | 10,090 |
| Washington | $74K | +18% | 980 |
| Alaska | $71K | +14% | 170 |
| Rhode Island | $70K | +12% | 210 |
| North Dakota | $69K | +11% | 180 |
| Georgia | $69K | +11% | 2,230 |
| Maryland | $68K | +10% | 3,510 |
| Kentucky | $68K | +10% | 320 |
| Virginia | $67K | +8% | 2,710 |
| Maine | $67K | +7% | 390 |
| Connecticut | $67K | +7% | 320 |
| Kansas | $65K | +5% | 880 |
| Wyoming | $65K | +4% | 220 |
| New Hampshire | $64K | +3% | 360 |
| Massachusetts | $64K | +2% | 1,140 |
| New York | $64K | +2% | 7,390 |
| Colorado | $64K | +2% | 1,860 |
| Vermont | $63K | +2% | 160 |
| Florida | $63K | +1% | 1,830 |
| Tennessee | $62K | -0% | 2,150 |
| Oregon | $61K | -2% | 1,690 |
| West Virginia | $60K | -4% | 230 |
| Alabama | $60K | -4% | 350 |
| Mississippi | $59K | -4% | 330 |
| Illinois | $59K | -5% | 750 |
| Arkansas | $59K | -5% | 350 |
| Utah | $59K | -5% | N/A |
| Michigan | $59K | -5% | 1,040 |
| South Carolina | $59K | -5% | 1,290 |
| Arizona | $58K | -6% | 420 |
| Pennsylvania | $58K | -7% | 2,630 |
| New Mexico | $56K | -9% | 180 |
| New Jersey | $56K | -10% | 2,140 |
| Nevada | $54K | -13% | 350 |
| Louisiana | $53K | -14% | 1,610 |
| Montana | $52K | -16% | 130 |
| South Dakota | $52K | -17% | 60 |
| Hawaii | $51K | -18% | 1,050 |
| Idaho | $51K | -19% | 550 |
| Iowa | $50K | -19% | 420 |
| Missouri | $50K | -19% | 2,100 |
| Minnesota | $49K | -21% | 1,350 |
| Ohio | $49K | -21% | 1,020 |
| North Carolina | $49K | -21% | 2,310 |
| Texas | $49K | -21% | 9,170 |
| Indiana | $49K | -22% | 750 |
| Nebraska | $49K | -22% | 300 |
| Wisconsin | $47K | -24% | 1,070 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track life, physical, and social science technicians, all other salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Ames numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a life, physical, and social science technicians, all other afford a 2BR apartment alone in Ames?
Yes — at the median salary of $65K, rent takes 27.2% 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 life, physical, and social science technicians, all others in Ames?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new life, physical, and social science technicians, all others typically earn — is $48K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,891/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 life, physical, and social science technicians, all other a high-paying job in Ames?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $65K locally vs. $62K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Ames compare to the national average for life, physical, and social science technicians, all others?
Ames pays $65K median vs. the U.S. average of $62K — that’s +4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.83), the purchasing-power equivalent is $73K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do life, physical, and social science technicians, all others make in Ames, IA?
The median is $65,020 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $48,180, and experienced life, physical, and social science technicians, all others can clear $85,240. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $65K enough to live in Ames?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,237/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,153/month, which eats 27.2% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a life, physical, and social science technicians, all other 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 life, physical, and social science technicians, all other salary is worth about $73,196 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do life, physical, and social science technicians, all others 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.