Phlebotomists Salary
The median pay for a phlebotomists in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA is $36,970/year ($17.77/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $44K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.06), which stretches that salary to about $42,465 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,051/month, about 41.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $37K 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 phlebotomists
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What this looks like in Waterloo-Cedar Falls
Pay for phlebotomists in Waterloo-Cedar Falls runs about 18% below the U.S. median of $45K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,051/month, which is 42% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. 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. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for phlebotomistss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for phlebotomists in metros near Waterloo-Cedar Falls, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $38K | $42K |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $45K | $50K |
| Cedar Rapids | $37K | $42K |
| Iowa City | $38K | $41K |
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 phlebotomists (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $37K. Top earners bring in $44K or more, a $7K spread from bottom to top.
Phlebotomists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Phlebotomists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $56K | +24% | 13,520 |
| District of Columbia | $52K | +15% | 180 |
| New York | $51K | +12% | 6,400 |
| Massachusetts | $50K | +11% | 2,580 |
| Oregon | $49K | +9% | 1,800 |
| Washington | $49K | +8% | 2,820 |
| New Hampshire | $49K | +8% | 630 |
| New Jersey | $49K | +8% | 5,230 |
| Delaware | $48K | +6% | 430 |
| Hawaii | $48K | +6% | 110 |
| North Dakota | $47K | +5% | 220 |
| Colorado | $47K | +4% | 2,420 |
| Wisconsin | $46K | +3% | 3,610 |
| Rhode Island | $46K | +3% | 970 |
| Virginia | $46K | +2% | 3,600 |
| Arizona | $46K | +2% | 3,430 |
| Illinois | $46K | +2% | 7,910 |
| Vermont | $46K | +2% | 200 |
| Minnesota | $46K | +2% | 2,090 |
| Alaska | $46K | +1% | 210 |
| Georgia | $46K | +1% | 5,280 |
| Connecticut | $46K | +1% | 1,630 |
| Nevada | $46K | +1% | 1,300 |
| Maine | $46K | +1% | 500 |
| Montana | $45K | +1% | 370 |
| Pennsylvania | $44K | -3% | 5,510 |
| Maryland | $43K | -4% | 2,040 |
| Idaho | $43K | -4% | 1,010 |
| North Carolina | $43K | -4% | 5,410 |
| Missouri | $43K | -5% | 1,890 |
| New Mexico | $43K | -5% | 760 |
| Kentucky | $42K | -6% | 2,500 |
| Utah | $41K | -10% | 1,680 |
| Texas | $40K | -11% | 12,820 |
| Florida | $40K | -11% | 10,220 |
| Michigan | $40K | -12% | 3,540 |
| Ohio | $40K | -12% | 5,120 |
| South Dakota | $40K | -13% | 320 |
| Nebraska | $40K | -13% | 920 |
| Indiana | $39K | -13% | 2,410 |
| West Virginia | $39K | -13% | 1,530 |
| Kansas | $39K | -14% | 1,120 |
| Oklahoma | $39K | -14% | 1,670 |
| South Carolina | $39K | -14% | 2,760 |
| Tennessee | $39K | -15% | 3,520 |
| Iowa | $38K | -15% | 1,100 |
| Wyoming | $38K | -16% | 190 |
| Arkansas | $37K | -17% | 1,100 |
| Alabama | $37K | -18% | 2,350 |
| Mississippi | $36K | -20% | 1,200 |
| Louisiana | $36K | -20% | 3,410 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track phlebotomists salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a phlebotomist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $37K, rent takes 42% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,051/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for phlebotomists in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new phlebotomists typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,198/month. At HUD’s $1,051/month FMR, rent would take 48% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is phlebotomist a high-paying job in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Local pay runs 18% below the national median — $37K here vs. $45K 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 phlebotomists?
Waterloo-Cedar Falls pays $37K median vs. the U.S. average of $45K — that’s -18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.06), the purchasing-power equivalent is $42K — below the national median.
How much do phlebotomists make in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA?
The median is $36,970 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,640, and experienced phlebotomists can clear $44,120. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $37K enough to live in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,505/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,051/month, which eats 42% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a phlebotomists 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 phlebotomists salary is worth about $42,465 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do phlebotomists 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.