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Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does an elementary school teacher make in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA?

In the Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA metropolitan area, elementary school teachers earned a median of $60,780 a year in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 890 of these jobs there. That is 28% above the $47,430 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $47,220 and $77,500; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Iowa tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $49,359 in take-home pay.

Elementary school teacher pay in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA at a glance

Median salary

$60,780$5,065 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$47,220—
25th percentile$48,500—
75th percentile$74,230—
90th percentile$77,500—
Jobs in this metro890Location quotient 1.18 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here28% aboveAll-jobs median $47,430
Against Iowaabout the same asStatewide median $60,580
Against the U.S.5% belowNational median $63,970

Run the numbers on your own pay

Same U.S. tax tables as the rest of the site. Change the salary, state, or filing status.

Take-home payWhat $61,000 a year leaves after tax in IowaFederal tax, FICA and Iowa withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$29 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $61,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $61,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation Iowa publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Iowa.

Elementary school teacher salary in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA after taxes

$60,780
$20,000$125,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$60,780
Net 81%
Fed 8%
IA 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$49,359After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,113Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,898Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate18.8%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$5,114 / yr
Iowa state income tax$1,658 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$4,650 / yr
Customize deductions in full Iowa calculator

Elementary school teachers pay range in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What elementary school teachers earned in the Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (IA)
10th percentile—$3,935$47,220$38,979
25th percentile—$4,042$48,500$39,959
MedianMedian—$5,065$60,780$49,359
75th percentile—$6,186$74,230$58,882
90th percentile—$6,458$77,500$61,058

Is $60,780 a good salary in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA?

It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for elementary school teachers next to both.

Median household income$70,811Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)87.112.9% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household85.8%of area median income

The same job statewide and nationally, and a calculator for your own paycheck.

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Elementary school teachers pay in other Iowa metros

Metros in the same state that are closest in size to Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA. A statewide average can hide differences this large.

Elementary school teacher pay in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA: common questions

What is the median salary for elementary school teachers in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA?

The BLS median annual wage for elementary school teachers in the Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA metro area was $60,780 in May 2025, about $5,065 a month. Statewide, the Iowa median for this job is $60,580, so the metro pays about the same as the state.

Is there an hourly rate for elementary school teachers in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA?

BLS publishes pay for this job as an annual salary only, because the hours worked in a year vary too much to state a meaningful hourly rate.

How many elementary school teachers work in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA?

BLS estimated 890 jobs for elementary school teachers in the metro in May 2025, or 10.5 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.18 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for elementary school teachers in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA?

BLS wage estimates for elementary school teachers in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA run from $47,220 at the 10th percentile to $48,500 at the 25th, $74,230 at the 75th, and $77,500 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do elementary school teachers take home after taxes in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA?

On a median gross salary of $60,780, an estimated $49,359 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,898 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Iowa in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $11,421 (an effective rate of 18.8%).

How much do elementary school teachers make per month in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA?

On the median annual salary of $60,780, gross monthly income is $5,065. After federal, FICA, and Iowa state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $4,113 per month (or $1,898 every two weeks).

Is $60,780 a good salary in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA?

At $60,780, the median salary for elementary school teachers is 85.8% of the Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA median household income ($70,811). It is 28% above the $47,430 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 87.1, so prices here run 12.9% below the U.S. average.