Highest-paying jobs in Waterloo

Written by:
July 8, 2022
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

Highest-paying jobs in Waterloo

Stacker collected information on the highest-paying jobs in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA, using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs are ranked by average annual salary with information up to date as of May 2021.

In Waterloo, the annual mean wage is $50,880 or 12.7% lower than national mean of $58,260, while the highest-paying occupation makes $276,880. Read on to see which jobs make the list.

#50. Occupational health and safety specialists

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
- Annual mean salary: $80,890
- #98 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $78,740
- Employment: 106,340
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kennewick-Richland, WA ($111,950)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($108,240)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($108,020)

#49. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
- Annual mean salary: $81,310
- #110 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

National
- Annual mean salary: $79,060
- Employment: 123,940
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($117,700)
--- Salinas, CA ($110,180)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($109,490)

#48. Physical therapists

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
- Annual mean salary: $81,740
- #349 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170

National
- Annual mean salary: $92,920
- Employment: 225,350
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($123,190)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($118,370)
--- Midland, TX ($116,880)

#47. Chiropractors

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
- Annual mean salary: $81,990
- #79 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $81,240
- Employment: 35,810
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($140,450)
--- Reno, NV ($114,560)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($113,420)

#46. Occupational therapists

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
- Annual mean salary: $82,010
- #234 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

National
- Annual mean salary: $89,470
- Employment: 127,830
- Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($121,190)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($113,210)
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($113,190)

#45. Labor relations specialists

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
- Annual mean salary: $82,850
- #36 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

National
- Annual mean salary: $77,070
- Employment: 63,810
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($104,620)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($98,470)
--- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($97,520)

#44. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
- Annual mean salary: $82,970
- #150 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130

National
- Annual mean salary: $92,320
- Employment: 243,920
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Portland-South Portland, ME ($129,860)
--- Durham-Chapel Hill, NC ($121,360)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($121,250)

#43. Computer programmers

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
- Annual mean salary: $84,660
- #112 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $96,650
- Employment: 152,610
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($144,130)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($126,220)
--- Dalton, GA ($123,500)

#42. General and operations managers

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
- Annual mean salary: $85,240
- #351 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,700

National
- Annual mean salary: $115,250
- Employment: 2,984,920
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($165,340)
--- Trenton, NJ ($165,030)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($159,210)

#41. Computer systems analysts

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
- Annual mean salary: $85,290
- #229 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140

National
- Annual mean salary: $102,210
- Employment: 505,150
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($141,290)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($131,650)
--- Huntsville, AL ($118,690)

#40. Electrical engineers

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
- Annual mean salary: $86,220
- #284 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $107,890
- Employment: 186,020
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($148,870)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($133,640)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($124,680)

#39. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
- Annual mean salary: $86,370
- #195 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70

National
- Annual mean salary: $98,760
- Employment: 128,230
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($182,700)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($170,740)
--- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($164,600)

#38. Data scientists

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
- Annual mean salary: $87,140
- #109 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70

National
- Annual mean salary: $108,660
- Employment: 105,980
- Entry level education requirements: nan
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($157,110)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($153,180)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($135,900)

#37. Architects, except landscape and naval

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
- Annual mean salary: $87,920
- #83 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $91,900
- Employment: 100,400
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Birmingham-Hoover, AL ($120,430)
--- Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL ($115,450)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($113,780)

#36. Facilities managers

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
- Annual mean salary: $88,540
- #207 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70

National
- Annual mean salary: $101,970
- Employment: 101,230
- Entry level education requirements: nan
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kennewick-Richland, WA ($146,040)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($136,440)
--- Ithaca, NY ($136,210)

#35. Industrial engineers

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
- Annual mean salary: $89,670
- #165 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 920

National
- Annual mean salary: $95,200
- Employment: 293,950
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Anchorage, AK ($142,770)
--- Midland, TX ($129,440)
--- Billings, MT ($126,170)

#34. Training and development managers

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
- Annual mean salary: $90,320
- #119 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30

National
- Annual mean salary: $128,800
- Employment: 35,830
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($180,360)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($176,270)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($166,410)

#33. Construction managers

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
- Annual mean salary: $90,390
- #273 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90

National
- Annual mean salary: $108,210
- Employment: 284,750
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Anchorage, AK ($160,710)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($149,050)
--- Napa, CA ($145,430)

#32. Materials engineers

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
- Annual mean salary: $90,600
- #71 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30

National
- Annual mean salary: $101,950
- Employment: 21,530
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Boulder, CO ($135,680)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($134,720)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($129,400)

#31. Software quality assurance analysts and testers

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
- Annual mean salary: $90,930
- #60 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $97,710
- Employment: 190,120
- Entry level education requirements: nan
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($138,360)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($126,640)
--- California-Lexington Park, MD ($122,750)

#30. Project management specialists

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
- Annual mean salary: $92,340
- #95 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130

National
- Annual mean salary: $98,420
- Employment: 743,860
- Entry level education requirements: nan
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($133,950)
--- Birmingham-Hoover, AL ($130,250)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($125,330)

#29. Electronics engineers, except computer

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
- Annual mean salary: $92,880
- #144 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

National
- Annual mean salary: $115,490
- Employment: 107,170
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($152,060)
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($138,480)
--- Idaho Falls, ID ($136,310)

#28. Software developers

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
- Annual mean salary: $93,060
- #260 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 360

National
- Annual mean salary: $120,990
- Employment: 1,364,180
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($167,420)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($158,320)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($148,220)

#27. Biological science teachers, postsecondary

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
- Annual mean salary: $94,120
- #46 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $98,710
- Employment: 47,690
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR ($181,560)
--- Visalia-Porterville, CA ($166,470)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($152,140)

#26. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
- Annual mean salary: $96,740
- #171 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200

National
- Annual mean salary: $105,580
- Employment: 144,640
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($159,890)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($154,170)
--- Trenton, NJ ($144,620)

#25. Computer science teachers, postsecondary

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
- Annual mean salary: $98,590
- #34 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $89,610
- Employment: 37,600
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Visalia-Porterville, CA ($152,280)
--- Auburn-Opelika, AL ($145,360)
--- Tuscaloosa, AL ($144,170)

#24. Veterinarians

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
- Annual mean salary: $98,940
- #199 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70

National
- Annual mean salary: $109,920
- Employment: 77,260
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($144,440)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($141,670)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($140,390)

#23. Mechanical engineers

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
- Annual mean salary: $99,030
- #56 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,380

National
- Annual mean salary: $97,000
- Employment: 278,240
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($137,540)
--- Baton Rouge, LA ($128,790)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($127,030)

#22. Business teachers, postsecondary

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
- Annual mean salary: $100,090
- #79 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80

National
- Annual mean salary: $105,720
- Employment: 79,640
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Auburn-Opelika, AL ($175,640)
--- Ann Arbor, MI ($175,080)
--- Visalia-Porterville, CA ($154,600)

#21. Education administrators, postsecondary

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
- Annual mean salary: $100,780
- #127 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240

National
- Annual mean salary: $111,260
- Employment: 155,990
- Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Corvallis, OR ($178,570)
--- Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC ($165,940)
--- Syracuse, NY ($164,660)

#20. Medical and health services managers

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
- Annual mean salary: $101,100
- #289 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 320

National
- Annual mean salary: $119,840
- Employment: 436,770
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($162,110)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($157,340)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($156,370)

#19. Personal financial advisors

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
- Annual mean salary: $104,870
- #175 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90

National
- Annual mean salary: $119,960
- Employment: 263,030
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Barnstable Town, MA ($172,780)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($161,010)
--- East Stroudsburg, PA ($158,790)

#18. Purchasing managers

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
- Annual mean salary: $105,760
- #170 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $134,590
- Employment: 69,310
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Trenton, NJ ($181,030)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($177,010)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($174,760)

#17. Administrative services managers

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
- Annual mean salary: $110,490
- #95 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $113,030
- Employment: 224,620
- Entry level education requirements: nan
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($149,360)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($142,650)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($141,950)

#16. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
- Annual mean salary: $111,110
- #71 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150

National
- Annual mean salary: $102,650
- Employment: 274,710
- Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($144,880)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($143,450)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($142,330)

#15. Lawyers

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
- Annual mean salary: $111,190
- #224 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170

National
- Annual mean salary: $148,030
- Employment: 681,010
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($231,200)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($191,460)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($186,610)

#14. Financial managers

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
- Annual mean salary: $114,610
- #313 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 450

National
- Annual mean salary: $153,460
- Employment: 681,070
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($209,100)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($201,330)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($188,900)

#12 (tie). Sales managers

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
- Annual mean salary: $117,260
- #233 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110

National
- Annual mean salary: $142,390
- Employment: 453,800
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($198,960)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($196,910)
--- Boulder, CO ($182,820)

#12 (tie). Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
- Annual mean salary: $117,260
- #26 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70

National
- Annual mean salary: $102,750
- Employment: 266,160
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($150,760)
--- Durham-Chapel Hill, NC ($141,470)
--- Iowa City, IA ($138,870)

#11. Human resources managers

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
- Annual mean salary: $117,960
- #148 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

National
- Annual mean salary: $136,590
- Employment: 166,530
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($190,020)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($186,930)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($175,410)

#10. Computer and information systems managers

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
- Annual mean salary: $119,050
- #292 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130

National
- Annual mean salary: $162,930
- Employment: 485,190
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($228,030)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($211,470)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($202,800)

#9. Industrial production managers

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
- Annual mean salary: $119,580
- #100 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240

National
- Annual mean salary: $117,780
- Employment: 192,270
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($155,640)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($153,860)
--- Fort Collins, CO ($153,470)

#8. Pharmacists

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
- Annual mean salary: $122,990
- #178 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160

National
- Annual mean salary: $125,690
- Employment: 312,550
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($168,640)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($163,840)
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($158,420)

#7. Nurse practitioners

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
- Annual mean salary: $125,060
- #61 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220

National
- Annual mean salary: $118,040
- Employment: 234,690
- Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($197,870)
--- Napa, CA ($184,700)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($180,380)

#6. Physician assistants

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
- Annual mean salary: $126,280
- #76 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $119,460
- Employment: 132,940
- Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Portsmouth, NH-ME ($167,240)
--- Panama City, FL ($165,000)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($164,150)

#5. Marketing managers

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
- Annual mean salary: $137,810
- #87 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160

National
- Annual mean salary: $153,440
- Employment: 278,690
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($210,280)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($198,870)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($191,310)

#4. Architectural and engineering managers

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
- Annual mean salary: $144,870
- #133 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 340

National
- Annual mean salary: $158,970
- Employment: 187,100
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($228,000)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($206,050)
--- Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL ($198,430)

#3. Dentists, general

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
- Annual mean salary: $176,760
- #108 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $167,160
- Employment: 108,680
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Manchester, NH ($276,510)
--- Salinas, CA ($234,410)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($229,800)

#2. Chief executives

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
- Annual mean salary: $179,540
- #214 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90

National
- Annual mean salary: $213,020
- Employment: 200,480
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($313,440)
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($298,960)
--- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX ($296,480)

#1. Family medicine physicians

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
- Annual mean salary: $276,880
- #41 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150

National
- Annual mean salary: $235,930
- Employment: 102,930
- Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Coeur d'Alene, ID ($336,820)
--- Fond du Lac, WI ($336,140)
--- Gainesville, GA ($330,930)

Trending Now