Engineers, All Other Salary
In Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA, engineers, all others earn $96,440 at the median, or about $46.37 an hour. The range runs from $60K at the entry level to $120K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.06), which stretches that salary to about $110,774 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,051/month, or 17.2% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $96K 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 engineers, all others
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What this looks like in Waterloo-Cedar Falls
Pay for engineers, all other in Waterloo-Cedar Falls runs about 22% below the U.S. median of $123K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,051/month, 17.7% 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 engineers, all others who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for engineers, all others in metros near Waterloo-Cedar Falls, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $104K | $117K |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $101K | $110K |
| Ames | $95K | $107K |
| Cedar Rapids | $111K | $125K |
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 engineers, all others (10th percentile) start around $60K. Mid-career wages sit at $96K. Top earners bring in $120K or more, a $60K spread from bottom to top.
Engineers, All Other pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Engineers, All Other salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Mexico | $162K | +32% | 2,190 |
| Alabama | $153K | +24% | 3,460 |
| District of Columbia | $152K | +24% | 3,560 |
| Virginia | $148K | +21% | 5,060 |
| Alaska | $142K | +16% | 200 |
| Washington | $135K | +9% | 3,580 |
| Colorado | $133K | +8% | 2,540 |
| New Jersey | $132K | +8% | 4,540 |
| Massachusetts | $131K | +7% | 2,850 |
| Idaho | $131K | +7% | 560 |
| California | $131K | +6% | 28,610 |
| Maryland | $130K | +6% | 7,340 |
| New Hampshire | $128K | +4% | 610 |
| Vermont | $127K | +3% | 390 |
| Connecticut | $124K | +1% | 2,430 |
| Oregon | $123K | +0% | 2,030 |
| Hawaii | $123K | -0% | 1,100 |
| Michigan | $121K | -2% | 7,700 |
| Indiana | $121K | -2% | 1,540 |
| Ohio | $120K | -2% | 7,000 |
| Maine | $120K | -2% | 590 |
| Oklahoma | $120K | -3% | 860 |
| West Virginia | $119K | -3% | 660 |
| New York | $118K | -4% | 5,760 |
| Rhode Island | $117K | -5% | 380 |
| Texas | $116K | -6% | 10,820 |
| Wyoming | $113K | -8% | 110 |
| North Carolina | $112K | -9% | 4,270 |
| Georgia | $112K | -9% | 4,120 |
| South Dakota | $112K | -9% | 110 |
| Illinois | $112K | -9% | 2,520 |
| Mississippi | $111K | -10% | 480 |
| South Carolina | $110K | -10% | 1,280 |
| Wisconsin | $110K | -10% | 690 |
| Utah | $110K | -10% | 1,750 |
| Pennsylvania | $109K | -11% | 3,250 |
| Minnesota | $109K | -11% | 1,290 |
| Florida | $105K | -14% | 8,600 |
| Nevada | $104K | -16% | 870 |
| Delaware | $104K | -16% | N/A |
| Iowa | $103K | -16% | 1,100 |
| Missouri | $103K | -16% | 1,850 |
| Arizona | $102K | -17% | 1,720 |
| North Dakota | $100K | -18% | 220 |
| Kentucky | $100K | -19% | 500 |
| Louisiana | $99K | -19% | 6,310 |
| Montana | $97K | -21% | 240 |
| Tennessee | $97K | -21% | 4,400 |
| Nebraska | $88K | -28% | 300 |
| Arkansas | $77K | -37% | 820 |
| Kansas | $76K | -38% | 780 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track engineers, all other salary changes
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Related careers in Engineering
Frequently asked questions
Can a engineers, all other afford a 2BR apartment alone in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Yes — at the median salary of $96K, rent takes 17.7% 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 engineers, all others in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new engineers, all others typically earn — is $60K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,579/month. At HUD’s $1,051/month FMR, rent would take 29% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is engineers, all other a high-paying job in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Local pay runs 22% below the national median — $96K here vs. $123K 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 engineers, all others?
Waterloo-Cedar Falls pays $96K median vs. the U.S. average of $123K — that’s -22%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.06), the purchasing-power equivalent is $111K — below the national median.
How much do engineers, all others make in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA?
The median is $96,440 a year, that works out to about $46 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $59,650, and experienced engineers, all others can clear $119,600. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $96K enough to live in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,930/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,051/month, which eats 17.7% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a engineers, all other 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 engineers, all other salary is worth about $110,774 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do engineers, all others 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.