Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel Salary
The median pay for a sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel in Ames, IA is $63,230/year ($30.4/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $124K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.83), which stretches that salary to about $71,181 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,153/month, or 27.8% 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 sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travels
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What this looks like in Ames
Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel pay in Ames tracks closely to the national median, $63K locally vs. $70K nationwide, a 10% difference. Rent runs $1,153/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27.9% 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 sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travels in metros near Ames, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $66K | $71K |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $57K | $64K |
| Cedar Rapids | $67K | $76K |
| Iowa City | $62K | $68K |
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 sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travels (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $63K. Top earners bring in $124K or more, a $88K spread from bottom to top.
Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $92K | +32% | 80,510 |
| Massachusetts | $84K | +20% | 32,300 |
| Rhode Island | $81K | +16% | N/A |
| California | $81K | +16% | 156,110 |
| Washington | $80K | +14% | 18,950 |
| Colorado | $80K | +14% | 37,810 |
| New Jersey | $79K | +13% | 44,980 |
| Vermont | $78K | +11% | 1,130 |
| Connecticut | $77K | +10% | 11,420 |
| District of Columbia | $77K | +10% | 3,120 |
| Minnesota | $75K | +8% | 19,220 |
| Georgia | $75K | +8% | 46,960 |
| Michigan | $73K | +5% | 27,160 |
| Arizona | $73K | +4% | 26,340 |
| Virginia | $73K | +4% | 41,390 |
| New Hampshire | $72K | +2% | 4,670 |
| Alaska | $70K | -1% | 900 |
| Delaware | $68K | -4% | 2,910 |
| Oregon | $67K | -4% | 10,440 |
| Illinois | $67K | -4% | 69,910 |
| North Dakota | $66K | -6% | 1,620 |
| Pennsylvania | $64K | -8% | 39,920 |
| Wisconsin | $64K | -9% | 22,720 |
| Indiana | $64K | -9% | 21,950 |
| Maine | $64K | -9% | 2,120 |
| Maryland | $63K | -10% | 21,580 |
| North Carolina | $63K | -11% | 46,040 |
| Utah | $63K | -11% | 16,210 |
| Kansas | $63K | -11% | 12,480 |
| Nevada | $62K | -11% | 10,950 |
| Iowa | $62K | -11% | 6,530 |
| New Mexico | $62K | -12% | 3,790 |
| South Dakota | $62K | -12% | 630 |
| Texas | $62K | -12% | 135,030 |
| Florida | $61K | -13% | 107,650 |
| Missouri | $60K | -14% | 14,100 |
| Tennessee | $60K | -14% | 21,600 |
| Ohio | $59K | -15% | 38,440 |
| Wyoming | $59K | -16% | 750 |
| Idaho | $59K | -16% | 5,030 |
| Alabama | $59K | -16% | 12,840 |
| Montana | $59K | -16% | 1,730 |
| South Carolina | $59K | -16% | 21,070 |
| Hawaii | $59K | -16% | 3,450 |
| Nebraska | $58K | -17% | 6,110 |
| Louisiana | $55K | -21% | 8,200 |
| Oklahoma | $55K | -21% | 9,710 |
| Kentucky | $53K | -25% | 11,860 |
| Arkansas | $51K | -28% | 5,750 |
| West Virginia | $50K | -28% | 2,130 |
| Mississippi | $48K | -31% | 3,730 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Ames numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel afford a 2BR apartment alone in Ames?
Yes — at the median salary of $63K, rent takes 27.9% 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 sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travels in Ames?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travels typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,132/month. At HUD’s $1,153/month FMR, rent would take 54% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel a high-paying job in Ames?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $63K locally vs. $70K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Ames compare to the national average for sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travels?
Ames pays $63K median vs. the U.S. average of $70K — that’s -10%. 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 sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travels make in Ames, IA?
The median is $63,230 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,530, and experienced sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travels can clear $123,770. 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 $4,139/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,153/month, which eats 27.9% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel 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 sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel salary is worth about $71,181 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travels 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.