Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers Salary in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
The median pay for a software quality assurance analysts and testers in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA is $88,820/year ($42.7/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $51K at the entry level to $122K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.06), which stretches that salary to about $102,022 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,051/month, or 18.7% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $89K 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 software quality assurance analysts and testers
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Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
Entry-level software quality assurance analysts and testers (10th percentile) start around $51K. Mid-career wages sit at $89K. Top earners bring in $122K or more, a $71K spread from bottom to top.
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $128K | +25% | 9,220 |
| California | $127K | +24% | 31,530 |
| Virginia | $123K | +20% | 9,880 |
| Maryland | $122K | +19% | 6,340 |
| New Jersey | $112K | +9% | 6,930 |
| District of Columbia | $110K | +7% | 750 |
| New Hampshire | $110K | +7% | 610 |
| New York | $109K | +6% | 11,140 |
| Utah | $107K | +4% | 4,300 |
| Massachusetts | $106K | +3% | 7,650 |
| Delaware | $106K | +3% | 700 |
| New Mexico | $106K | +3% | 400 |
| Minnesota | $105K | +2% | 2,930 |
| Arizona | $104K | +1% | 3,680 |
| Alaska | $103K | +1% | N/A |
| Oregon | $103K | +0% | 3,010 |
| North Carolina | $103K | +0% | 7,280 |
| Texas | $102K | -1% | 19,300 |
| Connecticut | $101K | -1% | 1,200 |
| Montana | $101K | -2% | 260 |
| Illinois | $100K | -2% | 6,800 |
| Hawaii | $100K | -3% | 210 |
| Alabama | $100K | -3% | 1,910 |
| Michigan | $98K | -4% | 3,500 |
| Florida | $97K | -6% | 12,080 |
| Rhode Island | $95K | -7% | 440 |
| Pennsylvania | $94K | -9% | 5,690 |
| Georgia | $94K | -9% | 7,830 |
| South Carolina | $93K | -9% | 1,320 |
| Nevada | $92K | -10% | 680 |
| Nebraska | $90K | -12% | 1,680 |
| Tennessee | $90K | -12% | 2,290 |
| Indiana | $89K | -13% | 1,630 |
| Iowa | $86K | -17% | 1,080 |
| Ohio | $84K | -18% | 4,000 |
| Kansas | $83K | -19% | 1,320 |
| Wisconsin | $82K | -20% | 3,820 |
| North Dakota | $82K | -20% | 470 |
| Kentucky | $79K | -23% | 1,140 |
| Maine | $79K | -23% | 390 |
| Vermont | $77K | -25% | 130 |
| Missouri | $76K | -26% | 2,400 |
| Mississippi | $76K | -26% | 460 |
| Idaho | $73K | -29% | 490 |
| Oklahoma | $69K | -33% | 1,720 |
| South Dakota | $62K | -40% | 350 |
| West Virginia | $61K | -40% | 260 |
| Louisiana | $50K | -51% | 540 |
Showing 1–10 of 48 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track software quality assurance analysts and testers salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
How much do software quality assurance analysts and testers make in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA?
The median is $88,820 a year, that works out to about $43 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $50,660, and experienced software quality assurance analysts and testers can clear $121,830. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $89K enough to live in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,520/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,051/month, which eats 19% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a software quality assurance analysts and testers 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 software quality assurance analysts and testers salary is worth about $102,022 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do software quality assurance analysts and testers 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.