Landscapers in the Ames area earn a median of $44,580 a year, 19% above the typical U.S. metro. That ranks #65 of 390 metros for landscaper pay nationwide.
Within driving distance, the same work pays more in Des Moines and Omaha, but less in Waterloo.
It's one of 8 Iowa metros with published pay for this trade; see landscapers across Iowa.
Landscaper pay in Ames at a glance
- Landscapers in the Ames, IA metro earn a median $44,580 a year ($21.43 an hour), #65 of 390 U.S. metros (BLS, May 2025).
- The middle 80% earn between $28,900 and $58,660.
- After local prices, that median buys what $50,186 would in a typical U.S. place (BEA, 2024).
- A typical 1-bedroom rents for $907 a month, 24% of the median pay (HUD, FY2027).
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Enter a rate to see where it falls among landscapers in Ames.
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What this means Our calculation
Pay for landscapers here is in the top 20% of U.S. metros, and also in the top 20% once local prices are factored in. For the wider job market, unemployment is lower than in most metros (2.9%) and the population is growing at a typical pace (+2.2% since 2020). On your own, you'd join about 135 one-person landscaping businesses averaging $20,467 in revenue, and you'd need to bill roughly $61/hour to match the median salary (at our default assumptions).
Ames scorecard for landscapers Our calculation
Grades compare Ames with every other U.S. metro for this trade (A = top 20%).
Pay Government data
Pay range
Shaded: the middle half of workers. Grey line: typical U.S. metro ($37,540).
Pay over time
The median pay for landscapers in the Ames area went from $29,070 in 2020 to $44,580 in 2025, up 53.4%. Prices rose 25% over the same period, so after inflation that's +22.3% — a real raise.
BLS OEWS, May 2020–May 2025; inflation: CPI-U (May to May). Year-to-year changes can include survey noise.
Compared with nearby metros
What the pay is really worth in Ames Our calculation
Prices in Ames run 11% below the U.S. average. Adjusted for that, a median paycheck here buys what $50,186 would in a typical place, ranking #3 of 385 on real pay.
Real pay or rent burden?
Real pay already accounts for housing, because the price index includes rent. Rent burden shows what share of pay a typical 1-bedroom takes. Use either one, not both together.
Want the full picture? Build a monthly budget for Ames from this pay, local rent and prices.
What landscapers do
Landscape or maintain grounds of property using hand or power tools or equipment. Workers typically perform a variety of tasks, which may include any combination of the following: sod laying, mowing, trimming, planting, watering, fertilizing, digging, raking, sprinkler installation, and installation of mortarless segmental concrete masonry wall units.
Most important day-to-day tasks
- Mow or edge lawns, using power mowers or edgers.
- Operate vehicles or powered equipment, such as mowers, tractors, twin-axle vehicles, snow blowers, chainsaws, electric clippers, sod cutters, or pruning saws.
- Use hand tools, such as shovels, rakes, pruning saws, saws, hedge or brush trimmers, or axes.
- Prune or trim trees, shrubs, or hedges, using shears, pruners, or chain saws.
- Gather and remove litter.
Outlook & getting started
Nationally, landscaper jobs are projected to grow 4.7% from 2025 to 2035 (all jobs: 3.5%), with about 149,500 openings a year. About 20% are self-employed.
What the work is like Government data
How often landscapers deal with each condition, from surveys of workers in the job.
Getting started usually takes some preparation (high school plus months of training).
O*NET 31.0 Work Context and Job Zones (U.S. Department of Labor), national.
Licensing in Iowa Official source
The main state licensing office in Iowa is the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing. It can point you to the right license for landscapers.
Official Iowa licensing site ↗
Requirements for landscapers vary by state and sometimes by city; always confirm with the official agency.
On-the-job safety Government data
Nationally, landscapers have 165 injuries or illnesses serious enough to miss work per 10,000 full-time workers, 1.9× the rate for all jobs (87). The most common cause is being struck by or caught in objects and equipment.
BLS Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, 2023–2024 (national, cases with days away from work).
Highest-paying IA metros for landscapers
| Metro | Median | Real pay | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Des MoinesIOWA · IA | $45,180 | $49,269 | 2,230 |
| AmesIOWA · IA | $44,580 | $50,186 | 390 |
| DubuqueIOWA · IA | $41,450 | $47,465 | 240 |
| Cedar RapidsIOWA · IA | $39,830 | $44,771 | 680 |
| Iowa CityIOWA · IA | $39,580 | $43,253 | 590 |
| Sioux CityIOWA · IA | $38,820 | $44,902 | 400 |
| WaterlooIOWA · IA | $38,770 | $44,534 | 480 |
| DavenportIOWA · IA | $37,950 | $42,603 | 1,090 |
See every metro in Iowa.
How much work is there? Government data
Local job market
The Ames area's unemployment rate was 2.9% in 2025 (all workers, not just landscapers), below the typical U.S. metro's 4.1%. It was 3.1% in 2021.
BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual averages 2021–2025 (2025 preliminary).
Getting to work
The average commute in the Ames area is 19 minutes each way, shorter than the typical metro (24 min). 8% of commuters spend 45 minutes or more. 69% drive alone, 5% take transit and 9% work from home (all workers, not just trades).
Census American Community Survey, 2024 1-year estimates (table S0801).
Population
The Ames area's population grew 2.2% from 2020 to 2025 (125,363 → 128,090), ranking #209 of 387 metros for growth (typical metro +2.5%). People moving in (net +2,176) account for most of the change.
Census Bureau population estimates, July 1 of each year, 2020–2025.
Homes in Ames
The Ames area has about 54,437 homes. 51% were built before 1980 (typical metro 45%), so its housing is older than most; 14% were built in 2010 or later. Older homes often need more repair, replacement and upgrade work. 58% of households own their home, and the median home value is $279,700.
Census American Community Survey, 2024 1-year estimates (table DP04).
New construction
New-home permits in Ames are roughly flat from 2021 to 2025 (394 → 392).
In 2025 the Ames area approved permits for 392 new homes (199 single-family), or 3.1 per 1,000 residents, ranking #215 of 393 metros.
Competition
In 2024 the area had 135 one-person businesses (no employees) in landscaping, averaging $20,467 a year in revenue before expenses. See how Ames compares among the best cities to start a landscaper business.
They compete with 56 landscaping companies that have employees (about 322 workers in total). 66% of those companies have fewer than 5 employees.
Working outdoors in Ames Government data
In an average year, Ames has 17 days at 90°F or hotter (fewer than most metros; typical metro 33), 147 nights below freezing (typical 90) and 62 days with a tenth of an inch of rain or more. Summer afternoons average 82°F and winter nights 14°F. That matters for landscapers: heat and freezes shape the working season and the hours.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 averages, Ames Muni Airport, IA station. Compare cities on outdoor work weather.
Employee vs. working for yourself Your scenario
A model, not a market rate. It shows the break-even rate to match a $44,580 employee salary once you cover what an employer normally pays for (including the employer half of Social Security and Medicare, 7.65%), then adds your profit margin. Change any number.
Break-even rate
With your profit margin
How this calculator works. Weighing a contractor job against a W-2 one? Try the 1099 vs. W-2 comparison. Billable hours are hours you can charge a customer. Driving, quoting, paperwork and slow weeks aren't billable, which is why 1,400 is a common starting point versus 2,080 paid hours as an employee.
Get landscaper pricing & estimate templates →Compare Ames with another city →
Keep exploring
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ToolBest cities for landscapersRank every metro on pay, buying power, rent and jobs.Is a job offer here any good?
ToolCheck an offer in AmesSee where it falls among local landscapers, after the commute.Could you afford to live here?
ToolAmes budgetMonthly take-home, HUD rent and local prices on this pay.About this data
Local to the Ames metro: pay (BLS, May 2025) and pay over time (2020–2025, CPI-adjusted), prices (BEA, 2024), rent (HUD, FY2027), new construction, housing, population and commuting (Census), unemployment (BLS) and business counts (Census, by industry). National: job outlook and training (BLS projections), injury rates (BLS) and duties (O*NET). Jobs are employment estimates, not open positions; grades rank Ames against every other metro for landscapers. Every source, year and formula is on our data page.