Waiters and Waitresses salary
in Ames, IA
- Middle 50%
- $15,560–$38,580
- vs U.S. median
- -36%
- Metro rank
- #428 of 528
Waiters and Waitresses in the Ames, IA metro earn a median of $22,710 a year, based on BLS estimates for 1,010 jobs (May 2025). That is 36% below the U.S. median of $35,230 and 8% above the IA statewide median of $21,000. It ranks #428 of 528 metros with published figures for this job.
- SOURCEBLS OEWS, May 2025
- SAMPLE1,010 jobs (estimate)
- SCOPEall employers, all experience levels
- PERIODMay 2025 estimates
Full percentile breakdown
BLS · metro vs U.S.
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Waiters and Waitresses pay in other IA metros
8 metros · BLS
| Metro | Median |
|---|---|
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $31,200 |
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $26,430 |
| Iowa City, IA | $22,030 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | $21,670 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $21,490 |
| Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $20,990 |
| Southwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $20,980 |
| Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $20,950 |
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RELATED JOBS IN AMES
Questions
What is the average Waiters and Waitresses salary in Ames?
The BLS median is $22,710 a year (May 2025). Half of the 1,010 jobs pay between $15,560 and $38,580. The 10th percentile is $15,080 and the 90th is $50,610.
Is Ames a high-paying metro for Waiters and Waitresses?
That is 36% below the U.S. median of $35,230 and 8% above the IA statewide median of $21,000. It ranks #428 of 528 U.S. metros with published BLS figures for this job.
How much do Waiters and Waitresses make an hour in Ames?
About $10.92 an hour at the median (the BLS annual figure of $22,710 divided by 2,080 hours, the conversion BLS uses). The middle half earn about $7.48–$18.55 an hour. Straight-time pay, before overtime and shift differentials.
Does this include experience levels?
BLS figures cover all experience levels together. Employer filings carry a DOL wage level, which the free checker can filter by (approximate).
Sources: U.S. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (national + state) (metro area estimates, all employers); employer rows from U.S. DOL OFLC LCA Disclosure Data, FY2026 Q3 (LCA_Disclosure_Data_FY2026_Q3.xlsx). Base pay only. Estimates can have sampling error, especially for smaller metros.