How Much Does an RN Make in Waterloo, IA in 2026?
Typical pay for RNs 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 RN in Waterloo, Iowa earns $36.98 per hour, or $76,920 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $6,410 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $63,100, and the top 10% of earners make over $97,310.
That pay is 2% below the Iowa figure of $78,630 and 21% below the national figure of $97,550. Waterloo ranks 6th of 8 metro areas in Iowa for RN pay. About 1,890 RNs 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.
RN pay in Waterloo at a glance
- Typical pay is $36.98 an hour, or $76,920 a year.
- That is 2% below the Iowa figure, ranking 6th of 8 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $63,100; the top 10% make over $97,310.
- Typical pay rose +44% from 2015 to 2025, against +46% for Iowa as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does an RN make in Waterloo?
Pay in Waterloo runs from entry-level positions at around $30.34 an hour to more than $46.79 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Iowa and national figures.
RN pay by career stage in Waterloo
| Career stage | Waterloo | Iowa | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $63,100$30.34 an hour | $63,840$30.69 an hour | $68,940$33.14 an hour |
| First years | $64,640$31.08 an hour | $68,290$32.83 an hour | $80,330$38.62 an hour |
| Typical RN | $76,920$36.98 an hour | $78,630$37.80 an hour | $97,550$46.90 an hour |
| Experienced | $82,780$39.80 an hour | $85,940$41.32 an hour | $112,350$54.02 an hour |
| Top 10% | $97,310$46.79 an hour | $100,500$48.32 an hour | $137,470$66.09 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Waterloo · Cedar Falls area as BLS defines it
RN pay growth in Waterloo
Typical (median) annual wage for RNs 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 RN pay in Waterloo was $53,270 a year. By 2025 it had reached $76,920, a change of +44%, compared with +46% for Iowa over the same years.
How Waterloo compares with other Iowa cities
Iowa City pays RNs the most in Iowa at $85,940 a year, $9,020 more than Waterloo. The lowest-paying area in the state is Sioux City at $75,840.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Waterloo | RNs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iowa City | $85,940 | $41.32 | +12% | 4,090 |
| 2 | Des Moines metro incl. West Des Moines | $78,630 | $37.80 | +2% | 8,130 |
| 3 | Cedar Rapids | $78,370 | $37.68 | +2% | 2,880 |
| 4 | Ames | $77,160 | $37.09 | 0% | 1,070 |
| 5 | Davenport | $77,150 | $37.09 | 0% | 3,520 |
| 6 | Waterloo metro incl. Cedar Falls | $76,920 | $36.98 | this city | 1,890 |
| 7 | Dubuque | $76,790 | $36.92 | 0% | 1,280 |
| 8 | Sioux City | $75,840 | $36.46 | -1% | 1,600 |
Every metro area in Iowa with RN wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Iowa typical pay $78,630
Is Waterloo a good place to work as an RN?
RNs in Waterloo earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $76,920 a year, 21% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Waterloo · Cedar Falls area, about 22 are RN positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 22. RN jobs make up about the same share of the job market as they do across the country.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does an RN make in Waterloo, IA?
- A typical RN in Waterloo earns $76,920 a year, or $36.98 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $63,100 and the top 10% earn over $97,310.
- How much does an RN make an hour in Waterloo?
- Typical hourly pay for RNs in Waterloo is $36.98. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $30.34, and the top 10% earn over $46.79 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for an RN in Waterloo?
- Entry-level RN positions in Waterloo typically offer around $30.34 an hour, or $63,100 a year.
- Is RN pay in Waterloo higher than in the rest of Iowa?
- Waterloo pay is 2% below the Iowa figure of $78,630 a year, ranking 6th of 8 metro areas in the state. Iowa City pays the most in Iowa at $85,940.