SOC 51-9061 · Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA metro

Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers Salary in Waterloo, IA

The average salary for inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers in Waterloo, Iowa is $54,630 a year ($26.27 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $51,250: half of the 660 people in this job in the Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is about the same as the U.S. average for this job ($53,450).

$54,630average per year

$26.27 / hourMedian $51,250Take-home ≈ $44,611

  • $38K10th
  • $51K25th
  • $51KMedian
  • $63K75th
  • $63K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

660people in this job
+2%vs U.S. average
#4 of 8Iowa metros
87cost of living (U.S. = 100)
Advertisement

Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers pay range in Waterloo

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,890 a year or less, while the top 10% make $63,190 or more. The middle half of inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers in Waterloo earn between $50,900 and $63,190.

  • $38K10th
  • $51K25th
  • $51KMedian
  • $63K75th
  • $63K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$54,630$4,552$26.26
Median$51,250$4,271$24.64
Entry level (25th percentile)$50,900$4,242$24.47
Experienced (75th percentile)$63,190$5,266$30.38

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.

Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers pay in Waterloo vs. Iowa and the U.S.

Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers in Waterloo earn about the same as the Iowa average ($53,950) and about the same as the U.S. average ($53,450). At the median the gap is +6% against the U.S. median of $48,570.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Waterloo$54,630$51,250$37,890$63,190660
Iowa$53,950$50,740$39,160$71,2407,230
United States$53,450$48,570$35,510$77,860597,370

State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.

Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers salary after taxes in Waterloo

On the average salary of $54,630, a single filer in Waterloo takes home about $44,611 a year, or $3,718 a month and $1,716 every two weeks. Taxes take 18% 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.

Iowa paycheck calculator: try your own salary

Advertisement

Is Waterloo a good place for inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers? 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 $54,630 buys what about $62,752 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Waterloo ($47,430). A typical home costs $200,191, or 3.7 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $54,630 is worth in another city

Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers salary in other Iowa cities

Waterloo ranks 4th of 8 Iowa metro areas for this job; Ames pays the most ($59,990).

All Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers salaries in Iowa

Highest-paying cities for inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers

Seattle, WA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($82,070).

Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers salary by city

Advertisement

Does this match what you are paid?

Anonymous, no account. Results update as visitors answer.

Share your pay anonymously

Reviewed before it counts. Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers in Waterloo, IA.

Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers salary in Waterloo: questions

How much do inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers make an hour in Waterloo?

$26.27 an hour on average, and $24.64 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers salary in Waterloo?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,890 a year and the 25th percentile is $50,900, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers take-home pay in Waterloo?

About $44,611 a year ($3,718 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $54,630. Iowa school district surtaxes (a percentage of state tax in some districts) are not included.

Do inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers earn more in Waterloo than elsewhere?

The average here is about the same as the U.S. average for this job ($53,450).

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 51-9061; area Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA (47940). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.0%.
  • 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 2.05, this job is 2.0 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.

Read the full methodology. Spotted an error? Tell us.