Cost Estimators Salary in Ames, IA
According to the latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data, the median annual wage for Cost Estimators in Ames, IA is $76,920. BLS estimates approximately 50 people work in this occupation in Ames, IA. Ames, IA is 2.3% below the national median ($78,740).
Salary Distribution
Not everyone earns the median. Percentile wages show the range of pay within this occupation.
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $53,440 | $25.69 |
| 25th percentile | $59,990 | $28.84 |
| Median (50th) | $76,920 | $36.98 |
| 75th percentile | $94,990 | $45.67 |
| 90th percentile | $124,380 | $59.80 |
Data Reliability
BLS OEWS is a survey, not a full census — every estimate carries a margin of error. The relative standard error (RSE) below is BLS’s own measure of how much an estimate could vary; lower is more precise.
- Wage estimate
- RSE 2.7% — Very reliable
- Employment estimate
- RSE 19.9% — Use with caution
Where Does Your Salary Fall?
Enter an annual salary to see roughly where it falls among reported wages for this occupation, based on the percentile points above.
What Should You Ask For?
A starting point for salary negotiation, based on this occupation’s real published wage distribution and your years of experience.
For a early-career candidate (3-5 years), a reasonable target range is:
$59,990 – $76,920
Roughly the 25th–50th percentile of reported wages for this occupation.
Local cost of living adjusts the median here to about $86,592 in national purchasing power — worth factoring in alongside the raw number.
This is a general rule of thumb built from real BLS percentile data — not personalized advice. Your actual leverage depends on your specific skills, the employer, and the local market.
Concentration
- Jobs per 1,000
- 0.914
- Location quotient
- 0.63
Cost-of-Living Adjusted Salary
Ames, IA’s regional price level is below the national average (index 88.83, where 100 = U.S. average). Adjusted for that, the median salary has the purchasing power of $86,592 at the national price level.
This is a Career Atlas USA calculation based on BLS wage data and BEA Regional Price Parities. It is not a separate BLS wage estimate. Wage data: May 2025. Cost-of-living data: 2024.
Cost-of-Living Breakdown
One overall index can hide a lot — a state can be about average overall while housing runs far above or below that. Same 100 = U.S. average scale as above, per category.
- Housing
- 69.2 (below avg)
- Goods
- 93.7 (below avg)
- Utilities
- 83.0 (below avg)
- Other Services
- 92.9 (below avg)
Sources
Wage data: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) — May 2025 (release 25).
Figures shown as “Not available” reflect wages the source does not publish (e.g. suppressed for reliability), not zero.