Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers pay range in Waterloo
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,780 a year or less, while the top 10% make $79,220 or more. The middle half of heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in Waterloo earn between $47,300 and $71,940.
- $38K10th
- $47K25th
- $59KMedian
- $72K75th
- $79K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $58,800 | $4,900 | $28.27 |
| Median | $58,730 | $4,894 | $28.24 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $47,300 | $3,942 | $22.74 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $71,940 | $5,995 | $34.59 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers pay in Waterloo vs. Iowa and the U.S.
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in Waterloo earn about the same as the Iowa average ($60,070) and about the same as the U.S. average ($59,710). At the median the gap is +0% against the U.S. median of $58,640.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waterloo | $58,800 | $58,730 | $37,780 | $79,220 | 1,600 |
| Iowa | $60,070 | $58,070 | $42,390 | $77,910 | 35,040 |
| United States | $59,710 | $58,640 | $40,140 | $79,380 | 2,062,040 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers salary after taxes in Waterloo
On the average salary of $58,800, a single filer in Waterloo takes home about $47,803 a year, or $3,984 a month and $1,839 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Iowa school district surtaxes (a percentage of state tax in some districts) are not included.
Is Waterloo a good place for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Waterloo area are 13% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 87.1), so the average $58,800 buys what about $67,542 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.2 times the median wage of all jobs in Waterloo ($47,430). A typical home costs $200,191, or 3.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers salary in other Iowa cities
Waterloo ranks 5th of 8 Iowa metro areas for this job; Iowa City pays the most ($77,940).
- Iowa City$77,940
- Des Moines$63,480
- Cedar Rapids$61,120
- Davenport$58,920
- Waterloo$58,800
- Dubuque$58,690
- Ames$55,770
- Sioux City$55,120
All Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers salaries in Iowa
Highest-paying cities for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
Iowa City, IA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($77,940).
- Iowa City, IA$77,940
- Lincoln, NE$73,050
- Fairbanks, AK$72,350
- Seattle, WA$71,980
- San Jose, CA$70,730
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Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers salary in Waterloo: questions
How much do heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers make an hour in Waterloo?
$28.27 an hour on average, and $28.23 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers salary in Waterloo?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,780 a year and the 25th percentile is $47,300, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers take-home pay in Waterloo?
About $47,803 a year ($3,984 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $58,800. Iowa school district surtaxes (a percentage of state tax in some districts) are not included.
Do heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers earn more in Waterloo than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as the U.S. average for this job ($59,710).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 53-3032; area Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA (47940). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.6%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Iowa school district surtaxes (a percentage of state tax in some districts) are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.43, this job is 1.4 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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