Data Scientist Salary
The median pay for a data scientists in Waterloo, IA is $82,050/year ($39.45/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $63K at the entry level to $153K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.06), which stretches that salary to about $94,245 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,051/month, or 20.3% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $82K 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 data scientists
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What this looks like in Waterloo-Cedar Falls
Pay for data scientists in Waterloo-Cedar Falls runs about 32% below the U.S. median of $120K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,051/month, 20.4% 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. Lower pay, lower costs, Waterloo-Cedar Falls can be a reasonable trade-off for data scientistss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for data scientists in metros near Waterloo-Cedar Falls, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $103K | $112K |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $106K | $119K |
| Cedar Rapids | $99K | $112K |
| Iowa City | $72K | $79K |
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 data scientists (10th percentile) start around $63K. Mid-career wages sit at $82K. Top earners bring in $153K or more, a $90K spread from bottom to top.
Data Scientists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Data Scientists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $163K | +36% | 9,600 |
| California | $142K | +18% | 39,310 |
| Maryland | $136K | +13% | 3,340 |
| New Jersey | $135K | +13% | 6,430 |
| Massachusetts | $132K | +10% | 9,420 |
| New York | $130K | +9% | 23,970 |
| Minnesota | $129K | +7% | 4,020 |
| Vermont | $127K | +6% | 200 |
| District of Columbia | $126K | +5% | 2,680 |
| Virginia | $126K | +5% | 8,920 |
| Connecticut | $126K | +5% | 1,760 |
| Oregon | $126K | +5% | 2,140 |
| Texas | $122K | +2% | 25,860 |
| North Carolina | $119K | -1% | 11,430 |
| Colorado | $117K | -2% | 6,280 |
| Florida | $116K | -4% | 10,240 |
| Arkansas | $109K | -9% | 530 |
| Utah | $108K | -10% | 4,360 |
| Arizona | $107K | -11% | 4,560 |
| Pennsylvania | $107K | -11% | 13,810 |
| Wisconsin | $107K | -11% | 4,370 |
| Illinois | $107K | -11% | 10,520 |
| Georgia | $104K | -13% | 9,260 |
| Alabama | $103K | -14% | 1,740 |
| Ohio | $103K | -15% | 6,100 |
| Rhode Island | $102K | -15% | 1,160 |
| Hawaii | $102K | -15% | 300 |
| New Hampshire | $101K | -16% | 1,100 |
| Michigan | $101K | -16% | 7,360 |
| Montana | $100K | -16% | 220 |
| Tennessee | $100K | -17% | 2,790 |
| Nevada | $99K | -18% | 1,680 |
| Nebraska | $98K | -18% | 1,980 |
| Kansas | $98K | -18% | 490 |
| Missouri | $97K | -19% | 4,730 |
| South Dakota | $96K | -20% | 220 |
| New Mexico | $96K | -20% | 560 |
| Iowa | $96K | -20% | 2,300 |
| South Carolina | $92K | -23% | 3,750 |
| Kentucky | $92K | -24% | 1,540 |
| Indiana | $91K | -24% | 3,580 |
| Maine | $91K | -24% | 1,210 |
| Idaho | $89K | -26% | 1,350 |
| Oklahoma | $86K | -28% | 1,900 |
| West Virginia | $85K | -29% | 390 |
| Alaska | $84K | -30% | 230 |
| North Dakota | $82K | -32% | 210 |
| Louisiana | $79K | -34% | 1,300 |
| Mississippi | $69K | -42% | 440 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track data scientists 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 data scientist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Yes — at the median salary of $82K, rent takes 20.4% 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 data scientists in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new data scientists typically earn — is $63K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,803/month. At HUD’s $1,051/month FMR, rent would take 28% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is data scientist a high-paying job in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Local pay runs 32% below the national median — $82K here vs. $120K nationally. Cost of living is 13% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Waterloo-Cedar Falls compare to the national average for data scientists?
Waterloo-Cedar Falls pays $82K median vs. the U.S. average of $120K — that’s -32%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.06), the purchasing-power equivalent is $94K — below the national median.
How much do data scientists make in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA?
The median is $82,050 a year, that works out to about $39 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $63,380, and experienced data scientists can clear $153,050. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $82K enough to live in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,155/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,051/month, which eats 20.4% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a data scientists 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 data scientists salary is worth about $94,245 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do data scientists 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.