Receptionists and Information Clerks Salary
Receptionists and Information Clerks in Ames, IA make a median of $35,170 a year, or about $16.91 an hour. The range runs from $27K at the entry level to $47K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.83), which stretches that salary to about $39,592 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,153/month, about 48.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $35K 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 receptionists and information clerks
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What this looks like in Ames
Receptionists and information clerks pay in Ames tracks closely to the national median, $35K locally vs. $38K nationwide, a 7% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,153/month, which is 48.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. 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 receptionists and information clerks in metros near Ames, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $38K | $41K |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $36K | $41K |
| Cedar Rapids | $38K | $42K |
| Sioux City | $38K | $44K |
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 receptionists and information clerks (10th percentile) start around $27K. Mid-career wages sit at $35K. Top earners bring in $47K or more, a $20K spread from bottom to top.
Receptionists and Information Clerks pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Receptionists and Information Clerks salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $49K | +29% | 2,000 |
| Alaska | $45K | +18% | 1,530 |
| Washington | $45K | +18% | 26,500 |
| California | $44K | +16% | 82,470 |
| Massachusetts | $44K | +15% | 18,970 |
| New York | $43K | +13% | 65,010 |
| Rhode Island | $43K | +12% | 4,270 |
| Maine | $42K | +12% | 3,440 |
| Colorado | $42K | +11% | 11,020 |
| New Jersey | $42K | +10% | 42,060 |
| Hawaii | $42K | +9% | 3,510 |
| Wisconsin | $41K | +8% | 25,580 |
| Oregon | $41K | +8% | 13,590 |
| Connecticut | $41K | +7% | 14,980 |
| North Dakota | $40K | +4% | 1,930 |
| Arizona | $39K | +2% | 23,220 |
| Vermont | $38K | +1% | 1,160 |
| South Dakota | $38K | +1% | 5,760 |
| New Hampshire | $38K | +0% | 5,320 |
| Maryland | $38K | +0% | 18,390 |
| Nebraska | $38K | -0% | 6,750 |
| Minnesota | $38K | -1% | 11,800 |
| Wyoming | $37K | -1% | 1,540 |
| Michigan | $37K | -1% | 25,230 |
| Illinois | $37K | -2% | 40,370 |
| Montana | $37K | -2% | 1,280 |
| Iowa | $37K | -2% | 4,660 |
| Virginia | $37K | -2% | 23,360 |
| Nevada | $37K | -3% | 10,650 |
| Utah | $37K | -3% | 12,020 |
| Idaho | $37K | -3% | 5,340 |
| Florida | $37K | -3% | 63,280 |
| Pennsylvania | $37K | -3% | 37,830 |
| Delaware | $36K | -4% | 2,880 |
| Indiana | $36K | -5% | 17,360 |
| Georgia | $36K | -5% | 26,080 |
| Kansas | $36K | -5% | 7,290 |
| Ohio | $36K | -5% | 30,850 |
| Missouri | $36K | -6% | 18,890 |
| South Carolina | $36K | -7% | 11,280 |
| North Carolina | $35K | -7% | 20,080 |
| Texas | $35K | -7% | 78,330 |
| New Mexico | $35K | -8% | 5,650 |
| Tennessee | $35K | -8% | 11,460 |
| Arkansas | $35K | -8% | 10,870 |
| Oklahoma | $35K | -9% | 9,380 |
| Kentucky | $33K | -13% | 9,290 |
| Louisiana | $33K | -14% | 12,820 |
| Alabama | $33K | -14% | 10,460 |
| West Virginia | $32K | -16% | 5,470 |
| Mississippi | $31K | -18% | 6,920 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track receptionists and information clerks salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a receptionists and information clerk afford a 2BR apartment alone in Ames?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $35K, rent takes 48.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,153/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for receptionists and information clerks in Ames?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new receptionists and information clerks typically earn — is $27K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,604/month. At HUD’s $1,153/month FMR, rent would take 72% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is receptionists and information clerk a high-paying job in Ames?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $35K locally vs. $38K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Ames compare to the national average for receptionists and information clerks?
Ames pays $35K median vs. the U.S. average of $38K — that’s -7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.83), the purchasing-power equivalent is $40K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do receptionists and information clerks make in Ames, IA?
The median is $35,170 a year, that works out to about $17 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $26,740, and experienced receptionists and information clerks can clear $46,890. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $35K enough to live in Ames?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,393/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,153/month, which eats 48.2% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a receptionists and information clerks 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 receptionists and information clerks salary is worth about $39,592 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do receptionists and information clerks 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.