Salary · Metro area · SOC 31-1131

Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) salary in Ames, IA, per year and per hour

BLS data for May 2025 for the Ames, IA metropolitan statistical area.

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, released May 15, 2026. Publisher page

Quick answer

The median pay for nursing assistants in Ames, IA was $43,540 a year, or $20.93 an hour, in May 2025 (BLS). The middle 80% earned $37,010 to $48,920. About 770 were employed.

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Annual pay: Ames vs Iowa vs the US

Certified Nursing Assistant annual wages, Ames, IA, Iowa, and US
MeasureThis metroIowaUS
Median (50th percentile)$43,540$39,350$42,260
Mean (average)$42,980$41,490$42,700
10th percentile$37,010$35,620$33,940
25th percentile$38,520$37,360$37,260
75th percentile$47,120$45,650$47,220
90th percentile$48,920$47,980$51,980
Certified Nursing Assistant hourly wages, Ames, IA
MeasureHourly
Median (50th percentile)$20.93
Mean (average)$20.66
10th percentile$17.79
25th percentile$18.52
75th percentile$22.65
90th percentile$23.52

Employment: 770. 13.741 per 1,000 jobs in the area. Location quotient 1.47.

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Publisher page

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Questions

How much does a CNA make per hour in Ames, IA?

The median hourly wage was $20.93 in May 2025, per BLS. The 10th percentile was $17.79 and the 90th was $23.52.

What is the average CNA salary in Ames, IA?

BLS reports a mean (average) of $42,980 a year and a median of $43,540 for May 2025. The median is the middle wage; the mean is pulled up by the highest earners.

Do nursing assistants in Ames, IA earn more than the Iowa median?

The Ames, IA median of $43,540 is 11% higher than the Iowa median of $39,350 (BLS, May 2025).

Where do these numbers come from?

The BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates, SOC 31-1131. BLS reports CNAs as Nursing Assistants (SOC 31-1131). Figures BLS did not publish are left out.

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