Salary data is based on the Ames, IA metropolitan area and applied to Ames using local cost-of-living adjustments.

Administrative Services Managers Salaries in Ames, IA

Average Base Pay

$100,994/yr

7% below national average

Monthly

$8,416

Hourly

$49

Cost Index

Administrative Services Managers in Ames, IA earn an average of $100,994 per year, with most salaries falling between $80,795 and $121,193 depending on experience, employer, and specialization. At 7% below the national average, Ames offers a more modest rate for this role, in part reflecting a local cost of living index of 89. For professionals evaluating a move or negotiating an offer, the headline salary is only part of the picture—what matters most is how far that income actually goes once taxes, rent, and daily expenses are factored in. The sections below break that down in full for Ames.

Salary Range

The chart below shows the full compensation spectrum for this role, from entry-level to senior positions. The highlighted center bars represent the 25th–75th percentile band where most professionals are paid.

$76K
Low

$101K
Median

$126K
High

25th percentile: $86K75th percentile: $116K

About Administrative Services Managers

Operations Managers oversee the day-to-day functions of a business unit or organization, ensuring that processes run efficiently, resources are well-managed, and teams perform effectively. They sit at the intersection of strategy and execution—translating organizational goals into operational plans, establishing processes that achieve those plans, and continuously improving how work gets done. The scope of the role varies by industry: in manufacturing, operations managers oversee production lines, quality control, and supply chain logistics; in retail, they manage store staffing, inventory, and customer experience; in technology companies, they coordinate internal processes, vendor management, and company-wide operational initiatives. Regardless of industry, operations managers are responsible for operational metrics—throughput, quality, cost, and timeliness—and for building systems that deliver consistent results. They manage cross-functional relationships, resolve operational conflicts, and escalate issues to senior leadership when necessary. People management is central: operations managers hire, coach, and develop team leaders and front-line staff. Strong analytical skills are required to diagnose inefficiencies and design improvements, often using process mapping, root cause analysis, or lean methodologies.

What Administrative Services Managers Do

Plan and coordinate operational activities to meet business objectives
Monitor operational KPIs and implement improvements when targets are missed
Manage staffing levels, schedules, and workforce productivity
Develop and refine standard operating procedures and workflows
Manage vendor and supplier relationships and service level agreements
Lead cross-functional teams to resolve operational issues
Prepare operational reports and present performance updates to senior leadership
Drive process improvement initiatives using lean or Six Sigma methodologies

Key Skills & Qualifications

Process analysis and improvement methodologies (Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen)
Operational metrics definition, tracking, and reporting
Budget management and cost control
People management and team development
Project management skills for cross-functional initiatives
ERP systems and operations management software
Problem-solving and root cause analysis
Strong communication and stakeholder management

Career Path

Operations Coordinator / Team Lead
Operations Manager
Senior Operations Manager
Director of Operations
VP of Operations / COO

Administrative Services Managers Market in Ames, IA

Salary Competitiveness

Ames currently pays 7% below the national median for Administrative Services Managers. This gap can reflect a lower regional cost base, thinner employer density, or a surplus of qualified candidates relative to open roles—factors worth factoring into any offer negotiation or relocation calculation.

Cost of Living Impact

Ames's cost of living runs below the national average, which works in favor of this salary. Essential monthly expenses account for approximately 38% of take-home pay—a ratio that leaves meaningful room for savings, debt reduction, and discretionary spending compared with higher-cost metros.

Effective Purchasing Power

After adjusting for local taxes and cost of living, a Administrative Services Managers earning $100,994 in Ames reaches a strong purchasing-power position. The effective standard of living this income supports is materially higher than the gross number alone implies—a useful data point for professionals comparing offers across metro areas.

vs. National Avg

-7%

Cost Pressure

38%

Purchasing Power

Strong

Take-Home Pay Calculator

Enter any gross salary to see how federal and state taxes affect your actual take-home pay, broken down by year, month, and week. Results use an estimated effective tax rate of 27% based on this location and income level.

Annual Salary

Take-home (73%)Taxes (27%)

Annual Net

$73,726

Monthly

$6,144

Weekly

$1,418

Eff. Tax Rate

27%

A gross salary of $100,994 for a Administrative Services Managers in Ames translates to roughly $6,144 in monthly take-home pay after estimated federal and state taxes. Set against monthly living costs of $2,306—covering housing, food, transportation, utilities, and healthcare—that leaves approximately $3,838 per month in disposable income. That margin, not the gross number, is what determines whether you can comfortably cover rent, build savings, and afford discretionary spending in Ames's current market.

How far does this salary go in Ames?

Cost of Living in Ames

Estimated monthly expenses for a single person in Ames, benchmarked against US regional price indices for housing, food, transportation, utilities, and healthcare.

Cost Index

Below Avg — US average is 100. Based on a single person (1-bed apartment).

🏠Housing / Rent$1,326/mo

🍔Food & Groceries$442/mo

🚗Transportation$120/mo

💡Utilities$155/mo

🏥Healthcare$263/mo

Monthly$2,306

Annual$27,672

Disposable Income$3,838

Financial Reality Check

This section compares estimated monthly take-home pay against typical living costs in Ames to show your real disposable income—the amount remaining after essential bills are paid each month.

Monthly Take-Home

$6,144

Living Costs

$2,306

Disposable

$3,838

Cost Index

Lifestyle

Comfortable

With a monthly take-home of $6,144, your estimated living costs in Ames are $2,306 ($27,672/yr). This leaves $3,838 per month in disposable income, indicating a comfortable standard of living. Ames's cost of living is 11% below the national average.

Overall, a Administrative Services Managers earning $100,994 in Ames falls into a comfortable lifestyle tier and has meaningful room to save, invest, and absorb unexpected expenses without financial stress. With a cost index of 89, Ames is 11% more affordable than the national average, which extends your purchasing power. Regardless of tier, prioritizing retirement contributions, an emergency fund of three to six months' expenses, and incremental debt reduction will yield the greatest long-term financial stability—especially as living costs in Ames continue to evolve.