Occupational Therapists Salary in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
Occupational Therapists in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA make a median of $83,220 a year, or about $40.01 an hour. The range runs from $77K at the entry level to $112K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.06), which stretches that salary to about $95,589 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,051/month, or 20% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $83K 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 occupational therapists
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Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
Entry-level occupational therapists (10th percentile) start around $77K. Mid-career wages sit at $83K. Top earners bring in $112K or more, a $35K spread from bottom to top.
Occupational Therapists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $119K | +21% | 12,020 |
| Oregon | $107K | +9% | 1,420 |
| Nevada | $105K | +7% | 1,090 |
| Oklahoma | $104K | +5% | 1,230 |
| New Jersey | $103K | +5% | 4,830 |
| Washington | $102K | +4% | 3,410 |
| Arizona | $102K | +4% | 2,390 |
| Connecticut | $102K | +4% | 3,000 |
| Maryland | $102K | +4% | 2,650 |
| Texas | $102K | +3% | 11,700 |
| Virginia | $101K | +2% | 3,670 |
| Alaska | $100K | +2% | 340 |
| Arkansas | $99K | +1% | 1,740 |
| District of Columbia | $99K | +1% | 530 |
| New Mexico | $99K | +1% | 860 |
| Rhode Island | $99K | +1% | 760 |
| Florida | $99K | +1% | 9,230 |
| Illinois | $99K | +1% | 7,410 |
| Georgia | $99K | +0% | 3,670 |
| Massachusetts | $98K | +0% | 6,250 |
| South Carolina | $97K | -1% | 1,940 |
| Kansas | $97K | -1% | 1,650 |
| Delaware | $96K | -2% | 480 |
| Tennessee | $96K | -2% | 2,490 |
| Ohio | $96K | -3% | 6,480 |
| Alabama | $95K | -3% | 1,390 |
| New York | $95K | -3% | 10,540 |
| North Carolina | $95K | -4% | 4,910 |
| Hawaii | $95K | -4% | 340 |
| Pennsylvania | $94K | -4% | 7,200 |
| Louisiana | $94K | -4% | 2,030 |
| Missouri | $94K | -5% | 2,850 |
| Indiana | $94K | -5% | 3,440 |
| Utah | $93K | -5% | 970 |
| West Virginia | $93K | -5% | 680 |
| Mississippi | $92K | -6% | 1,120 |
| Kentucky | $91K | -7% | 2,110 |
| Wyoming | $89K | -9% | 350 |
| Iowa | $89K | -10% | 1,170 |
| Idaho | $88K | -10% | 630 |
| Nebraska | $87K | -12% | 1,500 |
| Wisconsin | $87K | -12% | 3,620 |
| Vermont | $86K | -12% | 340 |
| Minnesota | $85K | -14% | 3,360 |
| New Hampshire | $85K | -14% | 1,080 |
| Michigan | $84K | -14% | 5,090 |
| Montana | $84K | -14% | 510 |
| Maine | $82K | -16% | 1,000 |
| South Dakota | $81K | -17% | 520 |
| North Dakota | $80K | -19% | 610 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track occupational therapists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Waterloo-Cedar Falls numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
How much do occupational therapists make in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA?
The median is $83,220 a year, that works out to about $40 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $76,800, and experienced occupational therapists can clear $112,120. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $83K enough to live in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,218/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,051/month, which eats 20.1% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a occupational therapists 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 occupational therapists salary is worth about $95,589 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do occupational therapists 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.