How Much Does a Physical Therapist Make in Waterloo, IA in 2026?
Typical pay for Physical Therapists 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 Physical Therapist in Waterloo, Iowa earns $46.72 per hour, or $97,180 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $8,098 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $74,860, and the top 10% of earners make over $119,240.
That pay is right at the Iowa figure of $97,560 and 5% below the national figure of $102,760. Waterloo ranks 5th of 8 metro areas in Iowa for Physical Therapist pay. About 120 Physical Therapists 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.
Physical Therapist pay in Waterloo at a glance
- Typical pay is $46.72 an hour, or $97,180 a year.
- That is right at the Iowa figure, ranking 5th of 8 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $74,860; the top 10% make over $119,240.
- Typical pay rose +26% from 2015 to 2025, against +26% for Iowa as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Physical Therapist make in Waterloo?
Pay in Waterloo runs from entry-level positions at around $35.99 an hour to more than $57.33 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Iowa and national figures.
Physical Therapist pay by career stage in Waterloo
| Career stage | Waterloo | Iowa | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $74,860$35.99 an hour | $73,780$35.47 an hour | $77,140$37.09 an hour |
| First years | $83,540$40.17 an hour | $78,810$37.89 an hour | $86,160$41.42 an hour |
| Typical Physical Therapist | $97,180$46.72 an hour | $97,560$46.90 an hour | $102,760$49.40 an hour |
| Experienced | $105,060$50.51 an hour | $106,070$51.00 an hour | $121,160$58.25 an hour |
| Top 10% | $119,240$57.33 an hour | $120,730$58.04 an hour | $135,140$64.97 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Waterloo · Cedar Falls area as BLS defines it
Physical Therapist pay growth in Waterloo
Typical (median) annual wage for Physical Therapists 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 Physical Therapist pay in Waterloo was $77,350 a year. By 2025 it had reached $97,180, a change of +26%, compared with +26% for Iowa over the same years.
How Waterloo compares with other Iowa cities
Sioux City pays Physical Therapists the most in Iowa at $100,380 a year, $3,200 more than Waterloo. The lowest-paying area in the state is Ames at $90,610.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Waterloo | Physical Therapists employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sioux City | $100,380 | $48.26 | +3% | 100 |
| 2 | Dubuque | $99,840 | $48.00 | +3% | 110 |
| 3 | Davenport | $99,410 | $47.80 | +2% | 280 |
| 4 | Des Moines metro incl. West Des Moines | $97,790 | $47.02 | +1% | 740 |
| 5 | Waterloo metro incl. Cedar Falls | $97,180 | $46.72 | this city | 120 |
| 6 | Cedar Rapids | $94,520 | $45.44 | -3% | 220 |
| 7 | Iowa City | $94,480 | $45.42 | -3% | 180 |
| 8 | Ames | $90,610 | $43.56 | -7% | 70 |
Every metro area in Iowa with Physical Therapist wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Iowa typical pay $97,560
Is Waterloo a good place to work as a Physical Therapist?
Physical Therapists in Waterloo earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $97,180 a year, 5% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Waterloo · Cedar Falls area, about 1.4 are Physical Therapist positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 1.7. That makes Physical Therapists a smaller part of the local job market than usual, so employers draw from a smaller pool of qualified candidates.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Physical Therapist make in Waterloo, IA?
- A typical Physical Therapist in Waterloo earns $97,180 a year, or $46.72 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $74,860 and the top 10% earn over $119,240.
- How much does a Physical Therapist make an hour in Waterloo?
- Typical hourly pay for Physical Therapists in Waterloo is $46.72. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $35.99, and the top 10% earn over $57.33 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Physical Therapist in Waterloo?
- Entry-level Physical Therapist positions in Waterloo typically offer around $35.99 an hour, or $74,860 a year.
- Is Physical Therapist pay in Waterloo higher than in the rest of Iowa?
- Waterloo pay is right at the Iowa figure of $97,560 a year, ranking 5th of 8 metro areas in the state. Sioux City pays the most in Iowa at $100,380.