SOC 29-1292

Dental Hygienist 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

Tax Tables: 2026 Fed + IA
COL Index: 90.14 (-9.9% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 73.6% Realized
$60,713 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $82,500 $39.66/hr
Effective Tax Drag 20.41% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 22% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$16,837 $647.59/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 $39.66 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$4,950/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$1,089/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$8,231
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$5,115
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$1,196
Iowa Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$2,295
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$60,713 ($2,335.10 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA Dental Hygienist Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $82,500
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $76.8k 25th $80.2k Median: $82,500 50th (Median) $82.5k 75th $92.8k 90th $93.9k You: $82,500
10th (Entry) $76,770 $36.91/hr
25th (Junior) $80,250 $38.58/hr
50th (Median) $82,500 $39.66/hr
75th (Senior) $92,760 $44.60/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $93,890 $45.14/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Dental Hygienist in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
1
New-Graduate Dental HygienistAssociate's degree (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$62,989$30.28/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Dental HygienistDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities; state RDH license
$70,306$33.80/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Experienced Dental HygienistFull professional competence; leads projects or a small team; state RDH license
$82,500$39.66/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Lead Hygienist / Clinical CoordinatorOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$91,246$43.87/hr · 8-12 Years
5
Hygiene Program DirectorExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$105,963$50.94/hr · 12+ Years
Scaled to the Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA medianView National Dental Hygienist Salary Data
Adjacent Career Pivots & National Pay Differences
Dental Assistants-$50,030/yr
National median: $48,070
Skill overlap: 84%
Veterinary Technologists and Technicians-$50,720/yr
National median: $47,380
Skill overlap: 80%
Surgical Assistants-$31,300/yr
National median: $66,800
Skill overlap: 78%
Medical Assistants-$52,410/yr
National median: $45,690
Skill overlap: 72%
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$82,500-$16,837$60,713$2,335.10
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$97,969-$21,772$70,318$2,704.56
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$113,438-$26,707$79,924$3,074.01
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$128,906-$31,642$89,530$3,443.46
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$144,375-$36,855$98,858$3,802.21
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

Dental Hygienist 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
$82,500/yr
$39.66/hr · SOC 29-1292
Statutory Tax Drag
20.41% Effective
-$16,837 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
17% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$4,221/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 29-1292
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

Dental Hygienist in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA: Market Snapshot

Dental Hygienist roles in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA report a median annual wage of $82,500, 15.9% below the national median of $98,100. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $76,770 to $93,890, and HUD’s $838 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 12.2% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $19.94 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Dental Hygienist

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$146,760+77.9%
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$139,990+69.7%
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$136,210+65.1%
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$135,990+64.8%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$133,740+62.1%
Anchorage, AK$132,740+60.9%
Fairbanks-College, AK$131,860+59.8%
Napa, CA$131,370+59.2%
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$131,040+58.8%
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA$130,600+58.3%

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, 378 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.

Dental Hygienist Salary in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA (2026) Overview

Dental Hygienist median pay in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA is $82,500 a year ($39.66/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents. Official 2026 economic data for Dental Hygienist 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 Dental Hygienist in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA?

The median annual wage is $82,500 ($39.66 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $76,770 and $93,890. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Dental Hygienist in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA after taxes?

On the median wage of $82,500, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $64,386 a year ($5,365 a month) after $18,114 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 21.96%, using 2026 tax rules.