Buyers and Purchasing Agents Salary
In Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA, buyers and purchasing agents earn $73,330 at the median, or about $35.25 an hour. The range runs from $46K at the entry level to $127K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.06), which stretches that salary to about $84,229 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,051/month, or 21.8% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $73K get you in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Waterloo-Cedar Falls’s Regional Price Parity (87.06). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About buyers and purchasing agents
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Waterloo-Cedar Falls
Buyers and purchasing agents pay in Waterloo-Cedar Falls tracks closely to the national median, $73K locally vs. $78K nationwide, a 6% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,051/month, 22.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.06 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for buyers and purchasing agents in metros near Waterloo-Cedar Falls, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $85K | $95K |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $74K | $80K |
| Cedar Rapids | $69K | $77K |
| Dubuque | $66K | $76K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
Entry-level buyers and purchasing agents (10th percentile) start around $46K. Mid-career wages sit at $73K. Top earners bring in $127K or more, a $81K spread from bottom to top.
Buyers and Purchasing Agents pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Buyers and Purchasing Agents salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $124K | +60% | 1,880 |
| New Jersey | $93K | +20% | 12,180 |
| Maryland | $91K | +17% | 8,900 |
| Virginia | $89K | +15% | 22,120 |
| Rhode Island | $86K | +11% | N/A |
| Massachusetts | $86K | +11% | 12,820 |
| Washington | $85K | +10% | 15,400 |
| Colorado | $84K | +8% | 10,080 |
| Alaska | $83K | +7% | 890 |
| Connecticut | $83K | +7% | 5,530 |
| Delaware | $83K | +7% | 1,400 |
| California | $83K | +6% | 48,010 |
| Minnesota | $80K | +3% | 10,960 |
| New York | $79K | +2% | 31,240 |
| Illinois | $78K | +1% | 19,660 |
| Maine | $78K | -0% | 1,180 |
| New Hampshire | $77K | -1% | 2,580 |
| New Mexico | $77K | -1% | 2,250 |
| Ohio | $76K | -2% | 21,640 |
| North Dakota | $76K | -2% | 880 |
| Texas | $76K | -2% | 44,030 |
| Michigan | $76K | -2% | 16,680 |
| North Carolina | $76K | -2% | 14,290 |
| Arkansas | $76K | -2% | 4,510 |
| West Virginia | $76K | -3% | 1,130 |
| South Carolina | $76K | -3% | 6,150 |
| Arizona | $75K | -3% | 10,870 |
| Oregon | $75K | -3% | 7,090 |
| Nebraska | $75K | -4% | 2,850 |
| Utah | $75K | -4% | 4,090 |
| Georgia | $75K | -4% | 15,710 |
| Hawaii | $74K | -4% | 1,720 |
| Alabama | $74K | -5% | 8,960 |
| South Dakota | $74K | -5% | 1,180 |
| Pennsylvania | $74K | -5% | 17,430 |
| Nevada | $73K | -6% | 2,310 |
| Florida | $73K | -6% | 30,270 |
| Wyoming | $72K | -7% | 570 |
| Oklahoma | $72K | -8% | 4,750 |
| Mississippi | $72K | -8% | 2,240 |
| Wisconsin | $71K | -9% | 9,240 |
| Iowa | $70K | -9% | 4,570 |
| Kansas | $70K | -11% | 6,470 |
| Indiana | $69K | -11% | 10,720 |
| Idaho | $69K | -11% | 1,610 |
| Louisiana | $66K | -15% | 3,440 |
| Missouri | $66K | -16% | 8,070 |
| Tennessee | $65K | -16% | 11,420 |
| Vermont | $65K | -16% | 1,010 |
| Kentucky | $65K | -16% | 5,440 |
| Montana | $63K | -19% | 1,230 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track buyers and purchasing agents salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Waterloo-Cedar Falls numbers change.
Related careers in Business & Finance
Frequently asked questions
Can a buyers and purchasing agent afford a 2BR apartment alone in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Yes — at the median salary of $73K, rent takes 22.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,051/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for buyers and purchasing agents in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new buyers and purchasing agents typically earn — is $46K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,785/month. At HUD’s $1,051/month FMR, rent would take 38% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is buyers and purchasing agent a high-paying job in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $73K locally vs. $78K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Waterloo-Cedar Falls compare to the national average for buyers and purchasing agents?
Waterloo-Cedar Falls pays $73K median vs. the U.S. average of $78K — that’s -6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.06), the purchasing-power equivalent is $84K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do buyers and purchasing agents make in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA?
The median is $73,330 a year, that works out to about $35 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $46,410, and experienced buyers and purchasing agents can clear $127,040. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $73K enough to live in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,685/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,051/month, which eats 22.4% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a buyers and purchasing agents salary go in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Waterloo-Cedar Falls has a Regional Price Parity of 87.06 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median buyers and purchasing agents salary is worth about $84,229 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do buyers and purchasing agents get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.