Skincare Specialists Salary
The median pay for a skincare specialists in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA is $39,170/year ($18.83/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $15K at the entry level to $184K for experienced workers. Note: the mean (average) wage is $66K, significantly higher than the median. This typically reflects a mix of employment settings including academic and private practice positions. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.06), which stretches that salary to about $44,992 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,051/month, about 39.3% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $39K 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 skincare specialists
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What this looks like in Waterloo-Cedar Falls
Pay for skincare specialists in Waterloo-Cedar Falls runs about 14% 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 39.8% 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 skincare specialistss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for skincare specialists in metros near Waterloo-Cedar Falls, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $39K | $42K |
| Cedar Rapids | $44K | $49K |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $37K | $42K |
| Iowa City | $46K | $50K |
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 skincare specialists (10th percentile) start around $15K. Mid-career wages sit at $39K. Top earners bring in $184K or more, a $169K spread from bottom to top.
Skincare Specialists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Skincare Specialists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $79K | +75% | 2,200 |
| District of Columbia | $77K | +71% | 200 |
| Wyoming | $62K | +38% | 100 |
| Montana | $59K | +29% | 280 |
| Nebraska | $58K | +29% | 550 |
| North Dakota | $58K | +28% | 190 |
| Maine | $56K | +23% | 260 |
| Colorado | $55K | +20% | 1,510 |
| Oregon | $52K | +15% | 1,070 |
| Delaware | $51K | +12% | 130 |
| Arizona | $50K | +11% | 1,710 |
| Texas | $49K | +9% | 6,160 |
| Georgia | $49K | +7% | 2,230 |
| Massachusetts | $47K | +4% | 1,360 |
| New Mexico | $47K | +4% | 370 |
| New Hampshire | $47K | +3% | 430 |
| Maryland | $47K | +3% | 1,130 |
| Wisconsin | $46K | +2% | 1,190 |
| New Jersey | $46K | +1% | 2,660 |
| Kansas | $46K | +1% | 420 |
| Utah | $45K | +0% | 1,160 |
| Illinois | $45K | +0% | 2,960 |
| Michigan | $45K | -0% | 1,510 |
| Missouri | $45K | -0% | 1,390 |
| Indiana | $44K | -2% | 1,120 |
| Minnesota | $44K | -2% | 920 |
| Rhode Island | $44K | -3% | 120 |
| Florida | $44K | -3% | 5,270 |
| Connecticut | $44K | -4% | 660 |
| Pennsylvania | $44K | -4% | 2,560 |
| New York | $43K | -5% | 3,510 |
| Alaska | $41K | -9% | 120 |
| Mississippi | $41K | -9% | 320 |
| South Carolina | $40K | -12% | 1,210 |
| Virginia | $39K | -13% | 1,970 |
| Alabama | $39K | -13% | 590 |
| Ohio | $39K | -14% | 1,700 |
| North Carolina | $39K | -14% | 2,680 |
| California | $39K | -14% | 11,360 |
| Nevada | $39K | -15% | 1,540 |
| Kentucky | $39K | -15% | 830 |
| South Dakota | $38K | -16% | 150 |
| West Virginia | $38K | -16% | 80 |
| Oklahoma | $37K | -18% | 680 |
| Iowa | $37K | -18% | 710 |
| Louisiana | $37K | -19% | 600 |
| Tennessee | $37K | -19% | 1,710 |
| Arkansas | $37K | -19% | 340 |
| Idaho | $34K | -25% | 720 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track skincare specialists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Waterloo-Cedar Falls numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a skincare specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $39K, rent takes 39.8% 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 skincare specialists in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new skincare specialists typically earn — is $15K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $905/month. At HUD’s $1,051/month FMR, rent would take 116% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is skincare specialist a high-paying job in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Local pay runs 14% below the national median — $39K 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 skincare specialists?
Waterloo-Cedar Falls pays $39K median vs. the U.S. average of $45K — that’s -14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.06), the purchasing-power equivalent is $45K — below the national median.
How much do skincare specialists make in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA?
The median is $39,170 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $15,080, and experienced skincare specialists can clear $183,880. The mean (average) is $65,520, reflecting that some workers earn substantially more. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $39K enough to live in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,642/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,051/month, which eats 39.8% 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 skincare 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 skincare specialists salary is worth about $44,992 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do skincare 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.