SOC 17-3023

Building Automation Specialist Salary in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA

Data updated · Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025, HUD FY 2027 Fair Market Rents, EPI 2026 Family Budget, 2026 tax tables · Methodology

Tax Tables: 2026 Fed + IA
COL Index: 90.14 (-9.9% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 73.7% Realized
$60,359 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $81,930 $39.39/hr
Effective Tax Drag 20.33% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 22% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$16,656 $640.60/check
Category 1 of 6

Wage Benchmarking & After-Tax Paycheck Engine

Dynamic statutory tax calculations based on IRS Publication 15-T and state statutory schedules.

$
2,080 annual statutory base hours $39.39 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$4,916/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$1,081/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$8,113
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$5,080
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$1,188
Iowa Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$2,275
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$60,359 ($2,321.49 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA Building Automation Specialist Wage Distribution

Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Percentiles & Career Ladders

Your Salary: $81,930
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $56.8k 25th $71.3k Median: $81,930 50th (Median) $81.9k 75th $102k 90th $121k You: $81,930
10th (Entry) $56,830 $27.32/hr
25th (Junior) $71,300 $34.28/hr
50th (Median) $81,930 $39.39/hr
75th (Senior) $101,830 $48.96/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $120,720 $58.04/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Building Automation Specialist in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
1
BMS Field TechnicianHVAC controls fundamentals, sensor wiring, low-voltage safety
$54,487$26.20/hr · 0-2 Years
2
BAS Programmer / SpecialistBACnet, Modbus protocols, direct digital control (DDC) programming
$77,540$37.28/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Senior Controls EngineerSmart building integration, energy management modeling, commissioning
$100,592$48.36/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Automation Project ManagerCommercial building automation projects, client contract management
$125,740$60.45/hr · 8+ Years
Adjacent Career Pivots & National Pay Differences
Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and Technicians-$4,290/yr
National median: $73,900
Skill overlap: 89%
Electronics Engineers, Except Computer+$52,030/yr
National median: $130,220
Skill overlap: 86%
Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians-$3,680/yr
National median: $74,510
Skill overlap: 85%
Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment-$4,100/yr
National median: $74,090
Skill overlap: 85%
Category 3 of 6

HUD Fair Market Rent & EPI Living Wage Affordability Index

Evaluating housing affordability vs. net take-home pay in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
17% of Net Income
✓ Passes 30% Housing Affordability Standard
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $838/month Requires minimum annual gross of $33,520
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,096/month Requires minimum annual gross of $43,840
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $19.94/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $18.73/hr
Category 4 of 6

Hourly Wage to Annual & Overtime Matrix

Translating base hourly pay and 1.5× overtime into net take-home pay based on 2,080 annual work hours in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA.

Swipe horizontally to inspect full pay schedule
Schedule Total Hours/Wk Gross Annual Est. Taxes Net Take-Home Bi-Weekly Check
Standard (40 hrs)40 hrs$81,930-$16,656$60,359$2,321.49
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$97,292-$21,556$69,898$2,688.39
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$112,654-$26,457$79,438$3,055.29
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$128,016-$31,358$88,977$3,422.19
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$143,378-$36,518$98,257$3,779.11
Category 5 of 6

Interstate MSA Relocation & State Tax Migration Comparator

Calculate required compensation, cost-of-living differences, and annual state/local tax savings between two metropolitan areas.

Equivalent Salary in Austin, TX $83,505 Cost of Living Ratio: 69.6%
Annual State & Local Tax Delta +$8,331/yr Tax savings in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
Annual Rent Difference (1BR) -$17,676/yr Based on HUD Fair Market Rents
Net Discretionary Cash Flow Impact

Combining state tax savings and annual rent variance when relocating from San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA to Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX.

+$26,007/year
Category 6 of 6 · Executive Economic Briefing
2026 Fiscal Intelligence

Building Automation Specialist in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

Estimates compiled from BLS OEWS wages, IRS 2026 withholding rules, HUD Fair Market Rents, and Iowa tax codes.

Market Baseline
$81,930/yr
$39.39/hr · SOC 17-3023
Statutory Tax Drag
20.33% Effective
-$16,656 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
17% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$4,192/mo
Post-$838/mo 1BR Rent

Key Economic & Compensation Takeaways

Statutory Withholding Architecture

Frequently Asked Questions

Verified Government Data Sources & Statutory Attribution

Wages sourced from US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS OEWS). Rents calibrated to HUD Fair Market Rents. Tax schedules calibrated to IRS IRC Title 26, IRS Pub 15-T, and state statutory revenue codes.

BLS OEWS May 2025 HUD FY2027 FMR IRS 15-T
Metro Pay Comparison SOC 17-3023
2026 Statutory Thresholds
  • Federal Standard Deduction (Single) $16,100
  • FICA OASDI Wage Base Cap $184,500
  • Pre-Tax 401(k) Elective Deferral $24,500
  • HSA Individual Annual Limit $4,400

Building Automation Specialist in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA: Market Snapshot

Building Automation Specialist roles in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA report a median annual wage of $81,930, 4.8% above the national median of $78,190. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $56,830 to $120,720, and HUD’s $838 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 12.3% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $19.94 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Building Automation Specialist

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$106,250+29.7%
Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ$103,480+26.3%
Bakersfield-Delano, CA$103,170+25.9%
Lexington Park, MD$102,640+25.3%
Baton Rouge, LA$102,380+25.0%
Albuquerque, NM$102,250+24.8%
Casper, WY$99,840+21.9%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$98,180+19.8%
Lake Charles, LA$97,740+19.3%
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA$97,680+19.2%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$199,010$95.68/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$140,340$67.47/hr
Physician Assistant$132,880$63.88/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$132,210$63.56/hr
Nurse Practitioner$126,330$60.74/hr
Human Resources Managers$125,970$60.56/hr
Financial Manager$125,690$60.43/hr
Sales Managers$125,050$60.12/hr
Marketing Managers$114,940$55.26/hr
Software Engineer$113,970$54.79/hr

Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025, 241 metropolitan areas publishing this occupation; HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rents; EPI Family Budget Calculator. Taxes use 2026 federal and state rules. Data last updated .

Regional Labor Market & Career Mobility Network

Explore adjacent occupations and neighboring metropolitan wage benchmarks for peer compensation analysis.

Building Automation Specialist Salary in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA Overview

Building Automation Specialist median pay in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA is $81,930 a year ($39.39/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles. Official 2026 economic data for Building Automation Specialist in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.

Quick answers
What is the median salary for a Building Automation Specialist in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA?

The median annual wage is $81,930 ($39.39 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $56,830 and $120,720. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Building Automation Specialist in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA after taxes?

On the median wage of $81,930, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $64,006 a year ($5,334 a month) after $17,924 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 21.88%, using 2026 tax rules.