How Much Does a Pharmacy Tech Make in Waterloo, IA in 2026?
Typical pay for Pharmacy Techs 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 Pharmacy Tech in Waterloo, Iowa earns $19.69 per hour, or $40,950 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $3,413 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $35,810, and the top 10% of earners make over $50,450.
That pay is 9% below the Iowa figure of $44,860 and 10% below the national figure of $45,750. Waterloo ranks 7th of 8 metro areas in Iowa for Pharmacy Tech pay. About 270 Pharmacy Techs 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.
Pharmacy Tech pay in Waterloo at a glance
- Typical pay is $19.69 an hour, or $40,950 a year.
- That is 9% below the Iowa figure, ranking 7th of 8 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $35,810; the top 10% make over $50,450.
- Typical pay rose +43% from 2015 to 2025, against +56% for Iowa as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Pharmacy Tech make in Waterloo?
Pay in Waterloo runs from entry-level positions at around $17.22 an hour to more than $24.25 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Iowa and national figures.
Pharmacy Tech pay by career stage in Waterloo
| Career stage | Waterloo | Iowa | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $35,810$17.22 an hour | $36,140$17.38 an hour | $36,020$17.32 an hour |
| First years | $37,790$18.17 an hour | $37,790$18.17 an hour | $37,850$18.20 an hour |
| Typical Pharmacy Tech | $40,950$19.69 an hour | $44,860$21.57 an hour | $45,750$22.00 an hour |
| Experienced | $47,150$22.67 an hour | $48,670$23.40 an hour | $49,990$24.04 an hour |
| Top 10% | $50,450$24.25 an hour | $52,150$25.07 an hour | $61,040$29.35 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Waterloo · Cedar Falls area as BLS defines it
Pharmacy Tech pay growth in Waterloo
Typical (median) annual wage for Pharmacy Techs 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 Pharmacy Tech pay in Waterloo was $28,570 a year. By 2025 it had reached $40,950, a change of +43%, compared with +56% for Iowa over the same years.
How Waterloo compares with other Iowa cities
Des Moines pays Pharmacy Techs the most in Iowa at $46,620 a year, $5,670 more than Waterloo. The lowest-paying area in the state is Ames at $39,310.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Waterloo | Pharmacy Techs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Des Moines metro incl. West Des Moines | $46,620 | $22.41 | +14% | 1,160 |
| 2 | Dubuque | $45,100 | $21.69 | +10% | 250 |
| 3 | Davenport | $45,080 | $21.67 | +10% | 550 |
| 4 | Cedar Rapids | $43,930 | $21.12 | +7% | 390 |
| 5 | Sioux City | $43,820 | $21.07 | +7% | 210 |
| 6 | Iowa City | $43,500 | $20.91 | +6% | 460 |
| 7 | Waterloo metro incl. Cedar Falls | $40,950 | $19.69 | this city | 270 |
| 8 | Ames | $39,310 | $18.90 | -4% | 140 |
Every metro area in Iowa with Pharmacy Tech wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Iowa typical pay $44,860
Is Waterloo a good place to work as a Pharmacy Tech?
Pharmacy Techs in Waterloo earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $40,950 a year, 10% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Waterloo · Cedar Falls area, about 3.2 are Pharmacy Tech positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 3.1. Pharmacy Tech jobs make up about the same share of the job market as they do across the country.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Pharmacy Tech make in Waterloo, IA?
- A typical Pharmacy Tech in Waterloo earns $40,950 a year, or $19.69 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $35,810 and the top 10% earn over $50,450.
- How much does a Pharmacy Tech make an hour in Waterloo?
- Typical hourly pay for Pharmacy Techs in Waterloo is $19.69. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $17.22, and the top 10% earn over $24.25 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Pharmacy Tech in Waterloo?
- Entry-level Pharmacy Tech positions in Waterloo typically offer around $17.22 an hour, or $35,810 a year.
- Is Pharmacy Tech pay in Waterloo higher than in the rest of Iowa?
- Waterloo pay is 9% below the Iowa figure of $44,860 a year, ranking 7th of 8 metro areas in the state. Des Moines pays the most in Iowa at $46,620.