Computer User Support Specialists Salary
Computer User Support Specialists in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA make a median of $59,630 a year, or about $28.67 an hour. The range runs from $43K at the entry level to $84K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.06), which stretches that salary to about $68,493 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,051/month, or 26.8% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $60K 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 computer user support specialists
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What this looks like in Waterloo-Cedar Falls
Computer user support specialists pay in Waterloo-Cedar Falls tracks closely to the national median, $60K locally vs. $62K nationwide, a 4% difference. Rent runs $1,051/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26.8% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. 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. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for computer user support specialists in metros near Waterloo-Cedar Falls, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $59K | $65K |
| Cedar Rapids | $58K | $66K |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $56K | $63K |
| Iowa City | $62K | $67K |
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 computer user support specialists (10th percentile) start around $43K. Mid-career wages sit at $60K. Top earners bring in $84K or more, a $41K spread from bottom to top.
Computer User Support Specialists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Computer User Support Specialists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $81K | +31% | 3,140 |
| California | $80K | +29% | 74,490 |
| Washington | $75K | +22% | 21,860 |
| Massachusetts | $75K | +21% | 17,570 |
| New York | $73K | +17% | 39,100 |
| Colorado | $72K | +16% | 16,740 |
| Connecticut | $70K | +13% | 9,300 |
| Wyoming | $65K | +5% | 790 |
| Virginia | $65K | +5% | 20,910 |
| Maryland | $65K | +5% | 12,200 |
| New Jersey | $64K | +4% | 18,200 |
| Minnesota | $64K | +3% | 15,320 |
| Alaska | $63K | +2% | 950 |
| Vermont | $63K | +2% | 1,630 |
| Oregon | $63K | +2% | 8,850 |
| Rhode Island | $63K | +1% | 1,780 |
| Delaware | $62K | +0% | 1,890 |
| Arizona | $61K | -1% | 18,780 |
| North Dakota | $61K | -1% | 1,400 |
| Utah | $61K | -1% | 11,120 |
| Maine | $61K | -2% | 2,810 |
| Nebraska | $61K | -2% | 6,380 |
| New Hampshire | $61K | -2% | 3,910 |
| Georgia | $60K | -2% | 25,980 |
| North Carolina | $60K | -3% | 23,100 |
| Illinois | $60K | -3% | 26,060 |
| Missouri | $60K | -3% | 13,510 |
| Ohio | $60K | -3% | 22,370 |
| Texas | $59K | -4% | 72,030 |
| Idaho | $59K | -4% | 3,650 |
| Iowa | $59K | -5% | 6,140 |
| Wisconsin | $59K | -5% | 12,400 |
| Florida | $59K | -5% | 51,220 |
| Pennsylvania | $59K | -5% | 30,560 |
| Montana | $58K | -5% | 1,640 |
| Nevada | $58K | -6% | 6,560 |
| Kentucky | $58K | -6% | 9,460 |
| Hawaii | $57K | -8% | 2,440 |
| Indiana | $57K | -9% | 13,540 |
| Michigan | $56K | -9% | 22,090 |
| Kansas | $56K | -9% | 6,780 |
| Tennessee | $56K | -9% | 11,920 |
| West Virginia | $55K | -11% | 2,250 |
| New Mexico | $53K | -14% | 3,290 |
| Louisiana | $52K | -15% | 4,780 |
| Mississippi | $52K | -16% | 3,830 |
| South Carolina | $52K | -16% | 9,880 |
| Oklahoma | $52K | -16% | 9,600 |
| Alabama | $50K | -20% | 7,360 |
| South Dakota | $48K | -22% | 1,240 |
| Arkansas | $46K | -25% | 4,390 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track computer user support specialists salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a computer user support specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Yes — at the median salary of $60K, rent takes 26.8% 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 computer user support specialists in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new computer user support specialists typically earn — is $43K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,557/month. At HUD’s $1,051/month FMR, rent would take 41% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is computer user support specialist a high-paying job in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $60K locally vs. $62K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Waterloo-Cedar Falls compare to the national average for computer user support specialists?
Waterloo-Cedar Falls pays $60K median vs. the U.S. average of $62K — that’s -4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.06), the purchasing-power equivalent is $68K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do computer user support specialists make in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA?
The median is $59,630 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $42,620, and experienced computer user support specialists can clear $84,060. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $60K enough to live in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,915/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,051/month, which eats 26.8% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a computer user support specialists 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 computer user support specialists salary is worth about $68,493 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do computer user support specialists 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.