Machinists Salary
The median pay for a machinists in Ames, IA is $60,200/year ($28.94/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $53K at the entry level to $74K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.83), which stretches that salary to about $67,770 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,153/month, or 29.1% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $60K 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 machinists
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Ames
Machinists pay in Ames tracks closely to the national median, $60K locally vs. $59K nationwide, a 2% difference. Rent runs $1,153/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29.2% 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 machinists in metros near Ames, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $62K | $69K |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $59K | $65K |
| Cedar Rapids | $56K | $63K |
| Dubuque | $59K | $67K |
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 machinists (10th percentile) start around $53K. Mid-career wages sit at $60K. Top earners bring in $74K or more, a $21K spread from bottom to top.
Machinists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Machinists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $84K | +44% | 260 |
| Alaska | $78K | +32% | 120 |
| District of Columbia | $73K | +24% | 160 |
| Massachusetts | $67K | +15% | 7,080 |
| Washington | $66K | +13% | 6,880 |
| Oregon | $64K | +9% | 2,760 |
| New Jersey | $63K | +8% | 3,210 |
| Wyoming | $63K | +7% | 290 |
| Vermont | $63K | +7% | 220 |
| Delaware | $63K | +7% | 310 |
| Connecticut | $62K | +6% | 5,240 |
| North Dakota | $62K | +5% | 560 |
| New Hampshire | $62K | +5% | 1,620 |
| Virginia | $61K | +4% | 5,660 |
| Utah | $61K | +4% | 3,810 |
| Minnesota | $61K | +4% | 12,500 |
| Louisiana | $61K | +4% | 4,640 |
| Arizona | $61K | +4% | 4,330 |
| New York | $61K | +4% | 9,400 |
| Montana | $61K | +4% | 630 |
| Colorado | $60K | +2% | 2,800 |
| Maryland | $60K | +2% | 1,380 |
| New Mexico | $59K | +1% | 690 |
| Texas | $59K | +1% | 21,700 |
| Maine | $59K | +1% | 1,780 |
| Wisconsin | $59K | +1% | 12,700 |
| Idaho | $59K | +0% | 1,070 |
| Missouri | $59K | -0% | 8,380 |
| Kentucky | $59K | -0% | 6,040 |
| Illinois | $59K | -0% | 16,520 |
| South Carolina | $58K | -1% | 3,790 |
| Ohio | $58K | -1% | 17,110 |
| Pennsylvania | $58K | -2% | 12,380 |
| Indiana | $58K | -2% | 14,320 |
| Rhode Island | $58K | -2% | 860 |
| Iowa | $58K | -2% | 2,880 |
| California | $57K | -3% | 18,950 |
| Florida | $57K | -3% | 8,400 |
| Nebraska | $56K | -5% | 1,810 |
| Alabama | $56K | -5% | 5,170 |
| Mississippi | $56K | -5% | 1,920 |
| North Carolina | $55K | -6% | 8,330 |
| Nevada | $53K | -10% | 900 |
| Georgia | $53K | -10% | 6,090 |
| Michigan | $52K | -11% | 20,350 |
| Kansas | $51K | -13% | 3,870 |
| Arkansas | $51K | -13% | 2,150 |
| Oklahoma | $51K | -13% | 4,230 |
| South Dakota | $51K | -13% | 830 |
| Tennessee | $50K | -16% | 8,270 |
| West Virginia | $47K | -19% | 1,700 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track machinists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Ames numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Frequently asked questions
Can a machinist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Ames?
Yes — at the median salary of $60K, rent takes 29.2% 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 machinists in Ames?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new machinists typically earn — is $53K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,187/month. At HUD’s $1,153/month FMR, rent would take 36% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is machinist a high-paying job in Ames?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $60K locally vs. $59K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Ames compare to the national average for machinists?
Ames pays $60K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s +2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.83), the purchasing-power equivalent is $68K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do machinists make in Ames, IA?
The median is $60,200 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $53,120, and experienced machinists can clear $74,060. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $60K enough to live in Ames?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,950/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,153/month, which eats 29.2% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a machinists 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 machinists salary is worth about $67,770 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do machinists 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.