How much do Architects, Except Landscape and Naval make in Ames, IA?

Percentile spread

For Architects, Except Landscape and Naval, the published 10th percentile is $58,530 and the 90th percentile is $150,470. The difference is $91,940, which is 96.0% of the median. Ten percent of measured wages fall below the 10th percentile and ten percent fall above the 90th. How to read a percentile.

The middle half of the distribution, from the 25th percentile at $83,140 to the 75th at $123,140, covers $40,000.

The mean annual wage is $103,660, which sits above the median of $95,750. Median and mean measure different points in the same distribution.

National and state comparison

The Ames, IA median is 3.6% lower than the national median of $99,280 for Architects, Except Landscape and Naval. In 2024 national prices the local median is $107,790, which is 8.6% higher than that same national median. The national figure is already in national prices because the United States parity is 100.

It is 1.1% lower than the Iowa median of $96,810.

Price-adjusted pay

The 2024 all-items regional price parity for Ames, IA is 88.830, with the United States at 100. The Bureau of Economic Analysis released those parities on February 19, 2026. Dividing the May 2025 median of $95,750 by that parity and multiplying by 100 puts Architects, Except Landscape and Naval at $107,790 in national prices. The wage year and the price year are different. Compare this wage after prices.

Nearby metros

11 other metropolitan areas within 200 miles publish a annual median for Architects, Except Landscape and Naval. Ames, IA ranks 7th of 12 on that median, counting itself. Distance is the great-circle mileage between Census Bureau internal points (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files, Core Based Statistical Areas, internal points (INTPTLAT, INTPTLONG).).

• Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA is 32 miles away, with a median of $97,460 and employment of 310. That median is 1.8% higher than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $106,280, against $107,790 here.
• Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA is 72 miles away, with a median of $93,620 and employment of 40. That median is 2.2% lower than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $107,539, against $107,790 here.
• Cedar Rapids, IA is 106 miles away, with a median of $94,230 and employment of 60. That median is 1.6% lower than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $105,920, against $107,790 here.

Employment share

Architects, Except Landscape and Naval accounts for 0.05% of wage-and-salary employment in Ames, IA (30 of 55,890). Nationally the occupation is 0.07% of employment (106,770 of 155,495,730). The local share is 0.78 times the national share. That ratio is the location quotient computed from these May 2025 employment counts. It is not copied from the location-quotient column in the BLS bulk file.