Word Processors and Typists Salary
In Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA, word processors and typists earn $40,630 at the median, or about $19.53 an hour. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $50K for experienced workers.
So what does $41K get you in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Waterloo-Cedar Falls’s Regional Price Parity (87.1). 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 word processors and typists
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What this looks like in Waterloo-Cedar Falls
Pay for word processors and typists in Waterloo-Cedar Falls runs about 18% below the U.S. median of $49K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,034/month, which is 37.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.1 (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 word processors and typistss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for word processors and typists in metros near Waterloo-Cedar Falls, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $45K | , |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $52K | , |
| St. Louis | $37K | , |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $52K | , |
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 word processors and typists (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $41K. Top earners bring in $50K or more, a $13K spread from bottom to top.
Word Processors and Typists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Word Processors and Typists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado | $58K | +17% | 60 |
| California | $56K | +14% | 10,270 |
| Massachusetts | $54K | +9% | 350 |
| Oregon | $52K | +6% | 40 |
| Minnesota | $52K | +5% | 210 |
| Idaho | $50K | +1% | 60 |
| Tennessee | $50K | +1% | 90 |
| New Jersey | $50K | +0% | 3,560 |
| Connecticut | $49K | -0% | 170 |
| District of Columbia | $49K | -0% | 120 |
| Ohio | $49K | -1% | 310 |
| Wisconsin | $49K | -2% | 180 |
| New York | $48K | -2% | 12,340 |
| Michigan | $48K | -3% | 520 |
| Texas | $48K | -3% | 290 |
| Maryland | $47K | -4% | 210 |
| Nebraska | $47K | -4% | 80 |
| Rhode Island | $47K | -5% | 120 |
| Alabama | $47K | -5% | 70 |
| New Mexico | $46K | -6% | 60 |
| Virginia | $46K | -6% | 290 |
| Washington | $46K | -6% | 140 |
| Illinois | $45K | -8% | 490 |
| Delaware | $45K | -8% | 50 |
| Oklahoma | $44K | -11% | 40 |
| Iowa | $43K | -12% | 360 |
| Arkansas | $43K | -13% | 40 |
| South Carolina | $43K | -13% | 30 |
| Arizona | $42K | -15% | N/A |
| Nevada | $41K | -16% | 170 |
| Pennsylvania | $41K | -17% | 1,170 |
| Hawaii | $40K | -19% | 270 |
| Indiana | $40K | -20% | 120 |
| Missouri | $37K | -24% | 260 |
| West Virginia | $36K | -27% | 80 |
| Florida | $36K | -27% | 1,000 |
| Georgia | $31K | -36% | N/A |
Showing 1–10 of 37 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track word processors and typists 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 word processors and typist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $41K, rent takes 37.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,034/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 word processors and typists in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new word processors and typists typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,200/month. At HUD’s $1,034/month FMR, rent would take 47% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is word processors and typist a high-paying job in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Local pay runs 18% below the national median — $41K here vs. $49K 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 word processors and typists?
Waterloo-Cedar Falls pays $41K median vs. the U.S. average of $49K — that’s -18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.1), the purchasing-power equivalent is $47K — below the national median.
How much do word processors and typists make in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA?
The median is $40,630 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,660, and experienced word processors and typists can clear $49,560. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $41K enough to live in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,733/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,034/month, which eats 37.8% 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 word processors and typists salary go in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Waterloo-Cedar Falls has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median word processors and typists salary is worth about $46,648 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do word processors and typists 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.