How Much Does an NP Make in Waterloo, IA in 2026?
Typical pay for NPs in Waterloo, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Iowa.
BLS OES May 2025 · Waterloo · Cedar Falls metro area
A typical NP in Waterloo, Iowa earns $60.73 per hour, or $126,330 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $10,528 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $104,330, and the top 10% of earners make over $172,420.
That pay is 3% below the Iowa figure of $130,160 and 5% below the national figure of $132,300. Waterloo ranks 8th of 8 metro areas in Iowa for NP pay. About 260 NPs work in the Waterloo · Cedar Falls area. Waterloo is part of the Waterloo · Cedar Falls metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Cedar Falls share these figures.
NP pay in Waterloo at a glance
- Typical pay is $60.73 an hour, or $126,330 a year.
- That is 3% below the Iowa figure, ranking 8th of 8 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $104,330; the top 10% make over $172,420.
- Typical pay rose +36% from 2015 to 2025, against +40% for Iowa as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does an NP make in Waterloo?
Pay in Waterloo runs from entry-level positions at around $50.16 an hour to more than $82.90 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Iowa and national figures.
NP pay by career stage in Waterloo
| Career stage | Waterloo | Iowa | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $104,330$50.16 an hour | $107,990$51.92 an hour | $101,340$48.72 an hour |
| First years | $117,520$56.50 an hour | $122,720$59.00 an hour | $117,990$56.73 an hour |
| Typical NP | $126,330$60.73 an hour | $130,160$62.58 an hour | $132,300$63.61 an hour |
| Experienced | $136,260$65.51 an hour | $141,940$68.24 an hour | $156,700$75.34 an hour |
| Top 10% | $172,420$82.90 an hour | $167,590$80.57 an hour | $174,420$83.86 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Waterloo · Cedar Falls area as BLS defines it
NP pay growth in Waterloo
Typical (median) annual wage for NPs in the Waterloo · Cedar Falls area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical NP pay in Waterloo was $92,730 a year. By 2025 it had reached $126,330, a change of +36%, compared with +40% for Iowa over the same years.
How Waterloo compares with other Iowa cities
Des Moines pays NPs the most in Iowa at $132,230 a year, $5,900 more than Waterloo. The lowest-paying area in the state is Cedar Falls at $126,330.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Waterloo | NPs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Des Moines metro incl. West Des Moines | $132,230 | $63.57 | +5% | 820 |
| 2 | Davenport | $130,400 | $62.69 | +3% | 390 |
| 3 | Cedar Rapids | $129,890 | $62.45 | +3% | 240 |
| 4 | Dubuque | $129,620 | $62.32 | +3% | 130 |
| 5 | Sioux City | $129,060 | $62.05 | +2% | 150 |
| 6 | Iowa City | $129,030 | $62.04 | +2% | 330 |
| 7 | Ames | $127,600 | $61.34 | +1% | 70 |
| 8 | Waterloo metro incl. Cedar Falls | $126,330 | $60.73 | this city | 260 |
Every metro area in Iowa with NP wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Iowa typical pay $130,160
Is Waterloo a good place to work as an NP?
NPs in Waterloo earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $126,330 a year, 5% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Waterloo · Cedar Falls area, about 3.1 are NP positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 2.1. That makes the local economy more reliant on NPs than most places, and turnover keeps positions opening through the year.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does an NP make in Waterloo, IA?
- A typical NP in Waterloo earns $126,330 a year, or $60.73 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $104,330 and the top 10% earn over $172,420.
- How much does an NP make an hour in Waterloo?
- Typical hourly pay for NPs in Waterloo is $60.73. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $50.16, and the top 10% earn over $82.90 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for an NP in Waterloo?
- Entry-level NP positions in Waterloo typically offer around $50.16 an hour, or $104,330 a year.
- Is NP pay in Waterloo higher than in the rest of Iowa?
- Waterloo pay is 3% below the Iowa figure of $130,160 a year, ranking 8th of 8 metro areas in the state. Des Moines pays the most in Iowa at $132,230.