Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians Salary
Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA make a median of $69,320 a year, or about $33.33 an hour. The range runs from $48K at the entry level to $87K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.06), which stretches that salary to about $79,623 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,051/month, or 23.1% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $69K 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 civil engineering technologists and technicians
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What this looks like in Waterloo-Cedar Falls
Civil engineering technologists and technicians pay in Waterloo-Cedar Falls tracks closely to the national median, $69K locally vs. $65K nationwide, a 7% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,051/month, 23.5% 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 civil engineering technologists and technicians in metros near Waterloo-Cedar Falls, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $72K | $79K |
| Ames | $79K | $89K |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $77K | $86K |
| Cedar Rapids | $74K | $84K |
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 civil engineering technologists and technicians (10th percentile) start around $48K. Mid-career wages sit at $69K. Top earners bring in $87K or more, a $38K spread from bottom to top.
Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | $85K | +31% | 970 |
| California | $83K | +29% | 7,250 |
| Washington | $80K | +23% | 2,090 |
| Illinois | $79K | +22% | 4,190 |
| Minnesota | $79K | +21% | 2,030 |
| Nevada | $75K | +15% | 800 |
| Vermont | $74K | +14% | 200 |
| Wisconsin | $74K | +14% | 1,560 |
| New York | $74K | +14% | 1,710 |
| Connecticut | $73K | +13% | 330 |
| Iowa | $73K | +12% | 1,130 |
| Massachusetts | $71K | +10% | 680 |
| Alaska | $71K | +9% | 230 |
| New Jersey | $71K | +9% | 760 |
| Louisiana | $68K | +5% | 410 |
| Maine | $68K | +4% | 290 |
| Virginia | $67K | +3% | 1,480 |
| Nebraska | $67K | +3% | 370 |
| North Dakota | $65K | +0% | 400 |
| Ohio | $65K | -0% | 1,790 |
| Utah | $64K | -1% | 630 |
| New Hampshire | $64K | -1% | 300 |
| Hawaii | $64K | -1% | 120 |
| Indiana | $64K | -1% | 1,040 |
| Rhode Island | $64K | -2% | 140 |
| Pennsylvania | $64K | -2% | 2,290 |
| Arizona | $64K | -2% | 1,050 |
| Florida | $63K | -2% | 4,030 |
| Idaho | $63K | -3% | 440 |
| Maryland | $63K | -3% | 620 |
| New Mexico | $62K | -4% | 710 |
| Delaware | $62K | -4% | 350 |
| Montana | $61K | -5% | 310 |
| Missouri | $61K | -6% | 1,300 |
| South Dakota | $61K | -6% | 460 |
| Oklahoma | $60K | -8% | 400 |
| Kentucky | $60K | -8% | 1,860 |
| Kansas | $59K | -8% | 1,060 |
| Texas | $59K | -9% | 4,470 |
| Colorado | $59K | -9% | 1,820 |
| North Carolina | $59K | -10% | 2,760 |
| Michigan | $58K | -11% | 2,930 |
| Tennessee | $57K | -12% | 1,650 |
| Wyoming | $56K | -14% | 300 |
| South Carolina | $54K | -17% | 1,480 |
| West Virginia | $53K | -18% | 520 |
| Alabama | $53K | -19% | 1,800 |
| Arkansas | $52K | -20% | N/A |
| Georgia | $50K | -22% | 3,840 |
| Mississippi | $46K | -29% | 800 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track civil engineering technologists and technicians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Waterloo-Cedar Falls numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a civil engineering technologists and technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Yes — at the median salary of $69K, rent takes 23.5% 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 civil engineering technologists and technicians in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new civil engineering technologists and technicians typically earn — is $48K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,908/month. At HUD’s $1,051/month FMR, rent would take 36% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is civil engineering technologists and technician a high-paying job in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $69K locally vs. $65K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Waterloo-Cedar Falls compare to the national average for civil engineering technologists and technicians?
Waterloo-Cedar Falls pays $69K median vs. the U.S. average of $65K — that’s +7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.06), the purchasing-power equivalent is $80K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do civil engineering technologists and technicians make in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA?
The median is $69,320 a year, that works out to about $33 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $48,470, and experienced civil engineering technologists and technicians can clear $86,850. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $69K enough to live in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,469/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,051/month, which eats 23.5% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a civil engineering technologists and technicians 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 civil engineering technologists and technicians salary is worth about $79,623 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do civil engineering technologists and technicians 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.