Cooks, Short Order Salary in Ames, IA
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Ames, IA
Median annual salary
$34,880
-2.1% vs national
Median hourly
$16.77
10th percentile
$23,960
90th percentile
$45,300
Employed locally
90
National median
$35,620
Compare Cooks, Short Order salary & buying power
Type a city below to see how Ames, IA stacks up on salary and cost of living.
Cooks, Short Order
in
Ames, IA
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Salary percentile breakdown
Ames economic context
Unemployment rate
2.40%
2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
Median household income
$71,090
2023 • Census ACS
Cooks, Short Order salary vs area income
49%
Median Cooks, Short Order salary is 51% below the area median household income
Frequently asked questions
How much do Cooks, Short Order make per hour in Ames?
The median hourly wage for Cooks, Short Order in Ames, IA is $16.77, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $22.46 or more per hour.
Is Ames above or below average for Cooks, Short Order salaries?
The median Cooks, Short Order salary in Ames, IA is 2.1% below the national median of $35,620. The national figure is from BLS OEWS 2025 data covering all US metropolitan areas.
What is the entry-level salary for Cooks, Short Order in Ames?
Entry-level Cooks, Short Order (10th percentile) earn around $23,960 per year in Ames, IA. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $28,930.