Physical Therapists Salary
The median pay for a physical therapists in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA is $97,180/year ($46.72/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $75K at the entry level to $119K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.06), which stretches that salary to about $111,624 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,051/month, or 17.1% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $97K 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 physical therapists
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What this looks like in Waterloo-Cedar Falls
Physical therapists pay in Waterloo-Cedar Falls tracks closely to the national median, $97K locally vs. $103K nationwide, a 5% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,051/month, 17.6% 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. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for physical therapists in metros near Waterloo-Cedar Falls, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $98K | $107K |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $99K | $112K |
| Cedar Rapids | $95K | $106K |
| Iowa City | $94K | $103K |
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 physical therapists (10th percentile) start around $75K. Mid-career wages sit at $97K. Top earners bring in $119K or more, a $44K spread from bottom to top.
Physical Therapists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Physical Therapists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $124K | +21% | 26,580 |
| Alaska | $115K | +12% | 680 |
| New Jersey | $112K | +9% | 9,750 |
| Nevada | $111K | +8% | 2,030 |
| Maryland | $107K | +4% | 3,940 |
| New Mexico | $107K | +4% | 1,330 |
| Washington | $106K | +3% | 5,370 |
| Texas | $106K | +3% | 21,870 |
| Illinois | $105K | +2% | 9,800 |
| Connecticut | $104K | +2% | 4,060 |
| Massachusetts | $104K | +1% | 6,850 |
| Oregon | $104K | +1% | 3,210 |
| Arizona | $103K | +0% | 5,170 |
| Ohio | $103K | +0% | 10,280 |
| Georgia | $103K | -0% | 6,780 |
| Delaware | $102K | -1% | 1,260 |
| Colorado | $102K | -1% | 5,630 |
| Minnesota | $102K | -1% | 5,180 |
| Wisconsin | $102K | -1% | 5,580 |
| Hawaii | $102K | -1% | 950 |
| District of Columbia | $102K | -1% | 610 |
| Indiana | $102K | -1% | 6,130 |
| Virginia | $101K | -1% | 7,630 |
| Pennsylvania | $101K | -1% | 11,710 |
| South Carolina | $101K | -1% | 3,930 |
| Florida | $101K | -2% | 16,290 |
| Michigan | $101K | -2% | 8,630 |
| Kentucky | $101K | -2% | 3,390 |
| New York | $101K | -2% | 20,940 |
| Wyoming | $100K | -2% | 560 |
| Tennessee | $100K | -3% | 4,800 |
| Mississippi | $100K | -3% | 1,980 |
| North Carolina | $100K | -3% | 7,350 |
| Utah | $100K | -3% | 2,300 |
| New Hampshire | $100K | -3% | 1,960 |
| Maine | $100K | -3% | 1,860 |
| Rhode Island | $99K | -3% | 1,020 |
| Missouri | $99K | -3% | 4,900 |
| Arkansas | $99K | -4% | 2,680 |
| Idaho | $99K | -4% | 1,030 |
| Oklahoma | $99K | -4% | 2,560 |
| Louisiana | $99K | -4% | 3,280 |
| Kansas | $98K | -4% | 2,660 |
| Vermont | $98K | -5% | 760 |
| Iowa | $98K | -5% | 2,530 |
| Alabama | $97K | -5% | 3,040 |
| Nebraska | $97K | -6% | 2,140 |
| West Virginia | $97K | -6% | 1,310 |
| South Dakota | $93K | -10% | 1,060 |
| Montana | $91K | -11% | 1,180 |
| North Dakota | $85K | -17% | 830 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track physical 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
Can a physical therapist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Yes — at the median salary of $97K, rent takes 17.6% 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 physical therapists in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new physical therapists typically earn — is $75K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,492/month. At HUD’s $1,051/month FMR, rent would take 23% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is physical therapist a high-paying job in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $97K locally vs. $103K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Waterloo-Cedar Falls compare to the national average for physical therapists?
Waterloo-Cedar Falls pays $97K median vs. the U.S. average of $103K — that’s -5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.06), the purchasing-power equivalent is $112K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do physical therapists make in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA?
The median is $97,180 a year, that works out to about $47 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $74,860, and experienced physical therapists can clear $119,240. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $97K enough to live in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,970/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,051/month, which eats 17.6% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a physical 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 physical therapists salary is worth about $111,624 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do physical 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.