SOC 25-2031 · Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA metro

Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education Salary in Waterloo, IA

The average salary for secondary school teachers (except special and career/technical education) in Waterloo, Iowa is $61,260 a year, according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $60,440: 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 20% less than the U.S. average for this job ($76,320).

$61,260average per year

Median $60,440Take-home ≈ $49,686

  • $48K10th
  • $49K25th
  • $60KMedian
  • $73K75th
  • $78K90th

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

660people in this job
-20%vs U.S. average
#6 of 8Iowa metros
87cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education pay range in Waterloo

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $47,520 a year or less, while the top 10% make $77,800 or more. The middle half of secondary school teachers (except special and career/technical education) in Waterloo earn between $49,270 and $73,310.

  • $48K10th
  • $49K25th
  • $60KMedian
  • $73K75th
  • $78K90th

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

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$61,260$5,105—
Median$60,440$5,037—
Entry level (25th percentile)$49,270$4,106—
Experienced (75th percentile)$73,310$6,109—

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year (BLS publishes this job's pay as annual only). Hourly to annual salary.

Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education pay in Waterloo vs. Iowa and the U.S.

Secondary school teachers (except special and career/technical education) in Waterloo earn about the same as the Iowa average ($61,860) and 20% less than the U.S. average ($76,320). At the median the gap is -16% against the U.S. median of $72,040.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Waterloo$61,260$60,440$47,520$77,800660
Iowa$61,860$61,200$47,480$79,27012,310
United States$76,320$72,040$48,780$107,6001,065,210

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

Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education salary after taxes in Waterloo

On the average salary of $61,260, a single filer in Waterloo takes home about $49,686 a year, or $4,141 a month and $1,911 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.

Iowa paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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Is Waterloo a good place for secondary school teachers (except special and career/technical education)? 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 $61,260 buys what about $70,368 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.3 times the median wage of all jobs in Waterloo ($47,430). A typical home costs $200,191, or 3.3 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $61,260 is worth in another city

Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education salary in other Iowa cities

Waterloo ranks 6th of 8 Iowa metro areas for this job; Davenport pays the most ($68,160).

All Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education salaries in Iowa

Highest-paying cities for secondary school teachers (except special and career/technical education)

San Francisco, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($119,470).

Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education salary by city

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Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education salary in Waterloo: questions

What is the entry-level secondary school teachers (except special and career/technical education) salary in Waterloo?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $47,520 a year and the 25th percentile is $49,270, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the secondary school teachers (except special and career/technical education) take-home pay in Waterloo?

About $49,686 a year ($4,141 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $61,260. Iowa school district surtaxes (a percentage of state tax in some districts) are not included.

Do secondary school teachers (except special and career/technical education) earn more in Waterloo than elsewhere?

The average here is 20% less than the U.S. average for this job ($76,320).

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 25-2031; area Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA (47940). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.4%.
  • 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 1.15, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.

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