Waiter or waitress pay in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA at a glance
Median salary
$21,490$10.33 per hour · $1,791 monthly · BLS May 2025Run the numbers on your own pay
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Waiter or waitress salary in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA after taxes
Waiters or waitresses 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.
| Percentile | Hourly | Monthly | Yearly | After tax a year (IA) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $7.25/hr | $1,257 | $15,080 | $13,926 |
| 25th percentile | $7.25/hr | $1,257 | $15,080 | $13,926 |
| MedianMedian | $10.33/hr | $1,791 | $21,490 | $19,142 |
| 75th percentile | $16.46/hr | $2,853 | $34,230 | $29,035 |
| 90th percentile | $23.48/hr | $4,070 | $48,840 | $40,219 |
Is $21,490 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 waiters or waitresses next to both.
Waiters or waitresses pay in Iowa and across the U.S.
The same job statewide and nationally, and a calculator for your own paycheck.
Do waiters or waitresses pay tax on tips?
Yes, but less than before. This job is on the Treasury's list of tipped occupations, so from 2025 through 2028 up to $25,000 a year of reported tips comes off federal taxable income, shrinking above $150,000 of income ($300,000 joint). Social Security and Medicare are still owed on every tip, and most states still tax them. The BLS pay figures on this page already include tips as employers report them.
Waiter or waitress pay in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA: common questions
What is the median salary for waiters or waitresses in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA?
The BLS median annual wage for waiters or waitresses in the Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA metro area was $21,490 in May 2025, about $1,791 a month or $10.33 an hour. Statewide, the Iowa median for this job is $21,000, so the metro pays 2% above the state.
What is the hourly pay for waiters or waitresses in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA?
The median hourly wage for waiters or waitresses in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA was $10.33 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $7.25 an hour and one in ten earned more than $23.48.
How many waiters or waitresses work in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA?
BLS estimated 1,280 jobs for waiters or waitresses in the metro in May 2025, or 15.2 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.04 means the job is about as common here as in the country as a whole.
What is the pay range for waiters or waitresses in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA?
BLS wage estimates for waiters or waitresses in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA run from $15,080 at the 10th percentile to $15,080 at the 25th, $34,230 at the 75th, and $48,840 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.
How much do waiters or waitresses take home after taxes in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA?
On a median gross salary of $21,490, an estimated $19,142 lands in net take-home pay per year ($736 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Iowa in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $2,348 (an effective rate of 10.9%).
How much do waiters or waitresses make per month in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA?
On the median annual salary of $21,490, gross monthly income is $1,791. After federal, FICA, and Iowa state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $1,595 per month (or $736 every two weeks).
Is $21,490 a good salary in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA?
At $21,490, the median salary for waiters or waitresses is 30.3% of the Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA median household income ($70,811). It is 55% below 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.