How Much Does a Sonographer Make in Waterloo, IA in 2026?
Typical pay for Sonographers 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 Sonographer in Waterloo, Iowa earns $38.76 per hour, or $80,620 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $6,718 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $70,180, and the top 10% of earners make over $101,970.
That pay is 7% below the Iowa figure of $86,480 and 17% below the national figure of $96,590. Waterloo ranks 7th of 7 metro areas in Iowa for Sonographer pay. About 40 Sonographers 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.
Sonographer pay in Waterloo at a glance
- Typical pay is $38.76 an hour, or $80,620 a year.
- That is 7% below the Iowa figure, ranking 7th of 7 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $70,180; the top 10% make over $101,970.
- Typical pay rose +28% from 2016 to 2025, against +41% for Iowa as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Sonographer make in Waterloo?
Pay in Waterloo runs from entry-level positions at around $33.74 an hour to more than $49.02 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Iowa and national figures.
Sonographer pay by career stage in Waterloo
| Career stage | Waterloo | Iowa | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $70,180$33.74 an hour | $72,480$34.85 an hour | $67,820$32.60 an hour |
| First years | $79,810$38.37 an hour | $80,490$38.70 an hour | $80,430$38.67 an hour |
| Typical Sonographer | $80,620$38.76 an hour | $86,480$41.58 an hour | $96,590$46.44 an hour |
| Experienced | $94,430$45.40 an hour | $97,570$46.91 an hour | $106,930$51.41 an hour |
| Top 10% | $101,970$49.02 an hour | $101,970$49.02 an hour | $129,370$62.20 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Waterloo · Cedar Falls area as BLS defines it
Sonographer pay growth in Waterloo
Typical (median) annual wage for Sonographers in the Waterloo · Cedar Falls area · BLS OES May estimates, 2016 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2016, typical Sonographer pay in Waterloo was $62,900 a year. By 2025 it had reached $80,620, a change of +28%, compared with +41% for Iowa over the same years.
How Waterloo compares with other Iowa cities
Des Moines pays Sonographers the most in Iowa at $87,080 a year, $6,460 more than Waterloo. The lowest-paying area in the state is Cedar Falls at $80,620.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Waterloo | Sonographers employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Des Moines metro incl. West Des Moines | $87,080 | $41.87 | +8% | 170 |
| 2 | Iowa City | $86,940 | $41.80 | +8% | 90 |
| 3 | Cedar Rapids | $86,480 | $41.58 | +7% | 70 |
| 4 | Davenport | $82,870 | $39.84 | +3% | 100 |
| 5 | Ames | $82,110 | $39.48 | +2% | 30 |
| 6 | Sioux City | $81,450 | $39.16 | +1% | 40 |
| 7 | Waterloo metro incl. Cedar Falls | $80,620 | $38.76 | this city | 40 |
Every metro area in Iowa with Sonographer wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Iowa typical pay $86,480
Is Waterloo a good place to work as a Sonographer?
Sonographers in Waterloo earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $80,620 a year, 17% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Waterloo · Cedar Falls area, about 0.5 are Sonographer positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 0.5. Sonographer jobs make up about the same share of the job market as they do across the country.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Sonographer make in Waterloo, IA?
- A typical Sonographer in Waterloo earns $80,620 a year, or $38.76 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $70,180 and the top 10% earn over $101,970.
- How much does a Sonographer make an hour in Waterloo?
- Typical hourly pay for Sonographers in Waterloo is $38.76. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $33.74, and the top 10% earn over $49.02 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Sonographer in Waterloo?
- Entry-level Sonographer positions in Waterloo typically offer around $33.74 an hour, or $70,180 a year.
- Is Sonographer pay in Waterloo higher than in the rest of Iowa?
- Waterloo pay is 7% below the Iowa figure of $86,480 a year, ranking 7th of 7 metro areas in the state. Des Moines pays the most in Iowa at $87,080.