Self-Enrichment Teachers Salary
The median pay for a self-enrichment teachers in Ames, IA is $29,570/year ($14.21/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $21K at the entry level to $61K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.83), which stretches that salary to about $33,288 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,153/month, about 55.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $30K 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 self-enrichment teachers
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What this looks like in Ames
Pay for self-enrichment teachers in Ames runs about 37% below the U.S. median of $47K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,153/month, which is 56.5% 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. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for self-enrichment teacherss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for self-enrichment teachers in metros near Ames, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $35K | $38K |
| Cedar Rapids | $45K | $51K |
| Iowa City | $44K | $48K |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $40K | $45K |
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 self-enrichment teachers (10th percentile) start around $21K. Mid-career wages sit at $30K. Top earners bring in $61K or more, a $40K spread from bottom to top.
Self-Enrichment Teachers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Self-Enrichment Teachers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $66K | +42% | 600 |
| New Hampshire | $60K | +28% | 1,820 |
| New York | $58K | +23% | 31,120 |
| Connecticut | $55K | +18% | 5,080 |
| Oregon | $54K | +15% | 5,580 |
| New Jersey | $54K | +15% | 13,380 |
| Vermont | $53K | +14% | 1,190 |
| Georgia | $52K | +12% | 10,030 |
| Hawaii | $52K | +11% | 1,730 |
| Maryland | $52K | +10% | 6,570 |
| South Dakota | $50K | +6% | 140 |
| California | $50K | +6% | 60,260 |
| Massachusetts | $49K | +6% | 11,950 |
| Virginia | $49K | +5% | 8,730 |
| Washington | $48K | +3% | 12,890 |
| Alaska | $48K | +2% | 190 |
| Nevada | $47K | +0% | 1,690 |
| Maine | $47K | -0% | 1,120 |
| Wyoming | $47K | -0% | 610 |
| New Mexico | $46K | -2% | 1,840 |
| Florida | $46K | -2% | 11,800 |
| Minnesota | $46K | -2% | 9,050 |
| Montana | $45K | -4% | 1,070 |
| West Virginia | $45K | -4% | 540 |
| Colorado | $45K | -4% | 9,700 |
| Illinois | $44K | -5% | 15,030 |
| Arizona | $44K | -6% | 2,330 |
| Utah | $44K | -7% | 5,180 |
| Missouri | $43K | -8% | 5,010 |
| Rhode Island | $42K | -10% | 1,400 |
| Pennsylvania | $42K | -11% | 15,270 |
| North Carolina | $42K | -11% | 9,320 |
| Kansas | $41K | -12% | 1,070 |
| Michigan | $40K | -14% | 7,190 |
| Kentucky | $40K | -15% | 1,630 |
| South Carolina | $40K | -15% | 3,430 |
| Mississippi | $39K | -17% | 690 |
| Tennessee | $39K | -17% | 3,530 |
| Alabama | $38K | -18% | 2,130 |
| Nebraska | $38K | -18% | 3,360 |
| Oklahoma | $38K | -19% | 2,710 |
| Wisconsin | $38K | -19% | 5,140 |
| Louisiana | $38K | -19% | 3,030 |
| Ohio | $37K | -20% | 8,860 |
| Indiana | $37K | -21% | 3,710 |
| Idaho | $36K | -22% | 2,190 |
| Texas | $36K | -23% | 16,680 |
| Iowa | $36K | -24% | 2,910 |
| North Dakota | $35K | -25% | 470 |
| Delaware | $35K | -26% | 260 |
| Arkansas | $31K | -34% | 900 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
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Frequently asked questions
Can a self-enrichment teacher afford a 2BR apartment alone in Ames?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $30K, rent takes 56.5% 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 $600/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for self-enrichment teachers in Ames?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new self-enrichment teachers typically earn — is $21K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,255/month. At HUD’s $1,153/month FMR, rent would take 92% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is self-enrichment teacher a high-paying job in Ames?
Local pay runs 37% below the national median — $30K here vs. $47K 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 self-enrichment teachers?
Ames pays $30K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s -37%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.83), the purchasing-power equivalent is $33K — below the national median.
How much do self-enrichment teachers make in Ames, IA?
The median is $29,570 a year, that works out to about $14 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $20,910, and experienced self-enrichment teachers can clear $60,570. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $30K enough to live in Ames?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,042/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,153/month, which eats 56.5% 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 self-enrichment teachers 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 self-enrichment teachers salary is worth about $33,288 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do self-enrichment teachers 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.