Human Resources Specialists Salary
In Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA, human resources specialists earn $61,900 at the median, or about $29.76 an hour. The range runs from $40K at the entry level to $100K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.06), which stretches that salary to about $71,100 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,051/month, or 25.8% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $62K 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 human resources specialists
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What this looks like in Waterloo-Cedar Falls
Pay for human resources specialists in Waterloo-Cedar Falls runs about 18% below the U.S. median of $76K. Rent runs $1,051/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 25.9% 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. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for human resources specialists in metros near Waterloo-Cedar Falls, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $72K | $78K |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $80K | $89K |
| Cedar Rapids | $63K | $71K |
| Iowa City | $71K | $78K |
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 human resources specialists (10th percentile) start around $40K. Mid-career wages sit at $62K. Top earners bring in $100K or more, a $60K spread from bottom to top.
Human Resources Specialists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Human Resources Specialists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $111K | +46% | 6,910 |
| Massachusetts | $86K | +13% | 27,300 |
| Washington | $85K | +11% | 22,770 |
| New York | $84K | +11% | 54,610 |
| Maryland | $84K | +10% | 15,530 |
| California | $84K | +10% | 104,000 |
| Connecticut | $83K | +9% | 9,010 |
| Virginia | $82K | +8% | 28,540 |
| Colorado | $81K | +6% | 19,450 |
| New Jersey | $81K | +6% | 21,690 |
| Minnesota | $79K | +4% | 17,240 |
| Oregon | $78K | +3% | 10,620 |
| Vermont | $78K | +2% | 1,270 |
| Delaware | $78K | +2% | 2,720 |
| Rhode Island | $78K | +2% | 3,320 |
| Alaska | $77K | +1% | 1,420 |
| Illinois | $77K | +1% | 35,430 |
| North Dakota | $76K | -0% | 1,710 |
| Hawaii | $74K | -3% | 2,570 |
| North Carolina | $73K | -4% | 31,140 |
| Utah | $72K | -6% | 9,900 |
| Maine | $72K | -6% | 3,020 |
| Nevada | $72K | -6% | 6,520 |
| Arizona | $71K | -6% | 20,230 |
| Kansas | $71K | -7% | 7,560 |
| New Hampshire | $71K | -7% | 4,270 |
| Georgia | $71K | -7% | 32,110 |
| Wisconsin | $71K | -7% | 17,360 |
| Pennsylvania | $70K | -7% | 36,960 |
| Ohio | $70K | -8% | 33,500 |
| Michigan | $70K | -8% | 25,520 |
| Kentucky | $69K | -9% | 10,900 |
| Texas | $69K | -9% | 84,930 |
| New Mexico | $68K | -10% | 4,090 |
| South Dakota | $68K | -11% | 1,340 |
| Tennessee | $67K | -11% | 21,460 |
| Missouri | $67K | -12% | 17,650 |
| Wyoming | $67K | -12% | 1,000 |
| West Virginia | $67K | -12% | 3,130 |
| Iowa | $67K | -12% | 7,930 |
| Florida | $66K | -13% | 62,730 |
| Indiana | $66K | -14% | 17,110 |
| South Carolina | $65K | -14% | 13,720 |
| Idaho | $65K | -14% | 3,930 |
| Alabama | $65K | -14% | 11,080 |
| Montana | $64K | -16% | 2,340 |
| Nebraska | $62K | -18% | 7,220 |
| Oklahoma | $62K | -19% | 9,370 |
| Louisiana | $61K | -19% | 7,240 |
| Mississippi | $60K | -21% | 4,850 |
| Arkansas | $55K | -28% | 6,230 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track human resources specialists salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a human resources specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Yes — at the median salary of $62K, rent takes 25.9% 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 human resources specialists in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new human resources specialists typically earn — is $40K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,386/month. At HUD’s $1,051/month FMR, rent would take 44% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is human resources specialist a high-paying job in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Local pay runs 18% below the national median — $62K here vs. $76K 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 human resources specialists?
Waterloo-Cedar Falls pays $62K median vs. the U.S. average of $76K — that’s -18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.06), the purchasing-power equivalent is $71K — below the national median.
How much do human resources specialists make in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA?
The median is $61,900 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,770, and experienced human resources specialists can clear $99,810. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $62K enough to live in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,056/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,051/month, which eats 25.9% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a human resources 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 human resources specialists salary is worth about $71,100 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do human resources 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.