Rehabilitation Counselors Salary
Rehabilitation Counselors in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA make a median of $42,880 a year, or about $20.62 an hour. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $68K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.06), which stretches that salary to about $49,253 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,051/month, about 35.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $43K 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 rehabilitation counselors
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What this looks like in Waterloo-Cedar Falls
Rehabilitation counselors pay in Waterloo-Cedar Falls tracks closely to the national median, $43K locally vs. $47K nationwide, a 8% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,051/month, which is 36.6% 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. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for rehabilitation counselors in metros near Waterloo-Cedar Falls, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $46K | $50K |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $40K | $45K |
| Iowa City | $39K | $42K |
| Sioux City | $46K | $54K |
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 rehabilitation counselors (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $43K. Top earners bring in $68K or more, a $33K spread from bottom to top.
Rehabilitation Counselors pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Rehabilitation Counselors salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wyoming | $68K | +44% | 70 |
| North Dakota | $63K | +35% | 210 |
| Alaska | $62K | +31% | 130 |
| Kentucky | $59K | +25% | 790 |
| Washington | $58K | +24% | 5,440 |
| Connecticut | $56K | +20% | 2,410 |
| Georgia | $55K | +17% | 740 |
| Oregon | $55K | +17% | 1,630 |
| Idaho | $55K | +16% | 820 |
| Alabama | $54K | +15% | 540 |
| Maine | $51K | +9% | 330 |
| Vermont | $50K | +7% | 310 |
| Texas | $50K | +7% | 1,840 |
| New Jersey | $50K | +6% | 1,630 |
| District of Columbia | $50K | +6% | N/A |
| Illinois | $49K | +5% | 4,140 |
| South Dakota | $49K | +5% | 370 |
| Delaware | $49K | +4% | 340 |
| Hawaii | $49K | +4% | 150 |
| Pennsylvania | $49K | +4% | 4,130 |
| Arizona | $48K | +3% | 1,750 |
| New Mexico | $48K | +3% | 210 |
| West Virginia | $48K | +3% | 470 |
| Minnesota | $48K | +2% | 3,020 |
| Louisiana | $48K | +2% | 280 |
| New York | $48K | +2% | 3,810 |
| Colorado | $48K | +2% | 980 |
| Virginia | $48K | +1% | 2,890 |
| Massachusetts | $47K | +1% | 5,760 |
| Nebraska | $47K | +0% | 480 |
| Rhode Island | $47K | +0% | 420 |
| Wisconsin | $47K | -1% | 2,390 |
| Tennessee | $46K | -2% | 1,590 |
| Florida | $46K | -2% | 3,110 |
| North Carolina | $46K | -2% | 3,820 |
| Montana | $45K | -3% | 330 |
| Missouri | $45K | -4% | 2,020 |
| Michigan | $45K | -5% | 3,340 |
| California | $44K | -5% | 13,690 |
| Indiana | $44K | -5% | 2,030 |
| Utah | $44K | -6% | 650 |
| Ohio | $43K | -9% | 3,690 |
| New Hampshire | $43K | -9% | 430 |
| Kansas | $42K | -10% | 1,370 |
| Mississippi | $42K | -11% | 470 |
| Maryland | $41K | -13% | 3,300 |
| Nevada | $40K | -14% | 570 |
| Iowa | $40K | -15% | 2,170 |
| Oklahoma | $38K | -18% | 1,570 |
| South Carolina | $36K | -23% | 980 |
| Arkansas | $35K | -25% | 600 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track rehabilitation counselors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Waterloo-Cedar Falls numbers change.
Related careers in Community & Social
Frequently asked questions
Can a rehabilitation counselor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $43K, rent takes 36.6% 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 $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for rehabilitation counselors in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new rehabilitation counselors typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,099/month. At HUD’s $1,051/month FMR, rent would take 50% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is rehabilitation counselor a high-paying job in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $43K locally vs. $47K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Waterloo-Cedar Falls compare to the national average for rehabilitation counselors?
Waterloo-Cedar Falls pays $43K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s -8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.06), the purchasing-power equivalent is $49K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do rehabilitation counselors make in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA?
The median is $42,880 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,980, and experienced rehabilitation counselors can clear $67,670. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $43K enough to live in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,873/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,051/month, which eats 36.6% 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 rehabilitation counselors 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 rehabilitation counselors salary is worth about $49,253 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do rehabilitation counselors 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.