Data Engineer Salary in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA (2026)
Data updated · Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025, HUD FY 2027 Fair Market Rents, EPI 2026 Family Budget, 2026 tax tables · Methodology
Wage Benchmarking & After-Tax Paycheck Engine
Dynamic statutory tax calculations based on IRS Publication 15-T and state statutory schedules.
Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA Data Engineer Wage Distribution
Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Percentiles & Career Ladders
HUD Fair Market Rent & EPI Living Wage Affordability Index
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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.
Interstate MSA Relocation & State Tax Migration Comparator
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Combining state tax savings and annual rent variance when relocating from San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA to Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX.
Data Engineer 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.
Key Economic & Compensation Takeaways
Statutory Withholding Architecture
Frequently Asked Questions
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.
- 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
Data Engineer in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA: Market Snapshot
BLS publishes no Data Engineer wage estimate for Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA, so this page uses the national median of $139,500 (10th to 90th percentile $86,240 to $204,000). HUD’s $838 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 7.2% of that national median. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $19.94 per hour.
Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Data Engineer
| Metropolitan area | Median annual wage | Vs national median |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $197,960 | +41.9% |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $175,860 | +26.1% |
| Reno, NV | $170,390 | +22.1% |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $169,310 | +21.4% |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $168,390 | +20.7% |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $163,590 | +17.3% |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $163,350 | +17.1% |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $162,870 | +16.8% |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $162,640 | +16.6% |
| Springfield, MA | $161,730 | +15.9% |
Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Median 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, 132 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
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Related Technology Roles in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
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Other Metros for Data Engineer
Regional metropolitan labor markets within commuter or relocation distance with local BLS wages and living costs.
Data Engineer median pay in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA is $139,500 a year ($67.07/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents. Official 2026 economic data for Data Engineer in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.
Quick answers
The median annual wage is $139,500 ($67.07 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $86,240 and $204,000. Source: the national BLS OEWS distribution, because BLS does not publish this occupation for the metro.
On the median wage of $139,500, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $101,965 a year ($8,497 a month) after $37,535 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 26.91%, using 2026 tax rules.