Training and Development Specialists Salary
In Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA, training and development specialists earn $51,320 at the median, or about $24.68 an hour. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $99K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.06), which stretches that salary to about $58,948 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,051/month, about 31.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $51K 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 training and development specialists
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What this looks like in Waterloo-Cedar Falls
Pay for training and development specialists in Waterloo-Cedar Falls runs about 26% below the U.S. median of $69K. Rent runs $1,051/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. 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 training and development specialists in metros near Waterloo-Cedar Falls, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $75K | $81K |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $65K | $72K |
| Cedar Rapids | $72K | $81K |
| Iowa City | $65K | $71K |
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 training and development specialists (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $51K. Top earners bring in $99K or more, a $68K spread from bottom to top.
Training and Development Specialists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Training and Development Specialists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware | $89K | +28% | 1,590 |
| New Hampshire | $86K | +24% | N/A |
| Washington | $82K | +18% | 8,130 |
| Alaska | $82K | +18% | 530 |
| District of Columbia | $81K | +17% | 1,900 |
| Massachusetts | $80K | +16% | 12,190 |
| Connecticut | $78K | +13% | 3,650 |
| Vermont | $78K | +12% | 750 |
| Virginia | $78K | +12% | 15,570 |
| New Jersey | $77K | +11% | 9,210 |
| Minnesota | $77K | +11% | 9,650 |
| Maryland | $76K | +10% | 9,800 |
| Oregon | $76K | +10% | 5,190 |
| New York | $76K | +10% | 27,460 |
| Rhode Island | $76K | +10% | 1,130 |
| Colorado | $76K | +9% | 12,100 |
| California | $76K | +9% | 46,530 |
| Florida | $72K | +4% | 34,130 |
| Pennsylvania | $71K | +3% | 14,780 |
| Wisconsin | $71K | +2% | 9,360 |
| Wyoming | $69K | +0% | 550 |
| Illinois | $67K | -3% | 15,140 |
| Georgia | $67K | -3% | 16,200 |
| Arizona | $67K | -3% | N/A |
| Iowa | $66K | -5% | 4,670 |
| Nebraska | $66K | -5% | 3,650 |
| Maine | $66K | -5% | 1,600 |
| North Carolina | $65K | -6% | 20,220 |
| West Virginia | $65K | -6% | 1,710 |
| Ohio | $65K | -6% | 17,690 |
| Alabama | $64K | -7% | 3,000 |
| Michigan | $64K | -7% | 10,640 |
| North Dakota | $63K | -9% | 670 |
| South Carolina | $63K | -9% | 6,960 |
| New Mexico | $63K | -9% | 2,190 |
| Montana | $63K | -9% | 900 |
| Texas | $63K | -9% | 46,630 |
| Tennessee | $62K | -10% | 9,370 |
| Kansas | $62K | -10% | 5,150 |
| Idaho | $62K | -11% | 2,430 |
| South Dakota | $62K | -11% | 520 |
| Kentucky | $61K | -11% | 6,090 |
| Nevada | $61K | -11% | 3,440 |
| Indiana | $61K | -12% | 8,450 |
| Oklahoma | $61K | -12% | 5,440 |
| Hawaii | $61K | -12% | 1,200 |
| Utah | $61K | -12% | 6,140 |
| Missouri | $59K | -15% | N/A |
| Louisiana | $58K | -16% | 3,030 |
| Mississippi | $54K | -23% | 2,820 |
| Arkansas | $52K | -25% | 3,880 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track training and development specialists salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a training and development specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $51K, rent takes 30.9% 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 $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for training and development specialists in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new training and development specialists typically earn — is $31K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,867/month. At HUD’s $1,051/month FMR, rent would take 56% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is training and development specialist a high-paying job in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Local pay runs 26% below the national median — $51K here vs. $69K 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 training and development specialists?
Waterloo-Cedar Falls pays $51K median vs. the U.S. average of $69K — that’s -26%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.06), the purchasing-power equivalent is $59K — below the national median.
How much do training and development specialists make in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA?
The median is $51,320 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,110, and experienced training and development specialists can clear $99,030. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $51K enough to live in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,398/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,051/month, which eats 30.9% 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 training and development 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 training and development specialists salary is worth about $58,948 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do training and development 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.