SOC 51-9061

Quality Control Inspector 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 77.0% Realized
$39,475 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $51,250 $24.64/hr
Effective Tax Drag 16.98% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$8,700 $334.63/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 $24.64 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,075/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$369/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$3,601
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,178
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$743
Iowa Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$1,179
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$39,475 ($1,518.25 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA Quality Control Inspector Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $51,250
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $37.9k 25th $50.9k Median: $51,250 50th (Median) $51.2k 75th $63.2k 90th $63.2k You: $51,250
10th (Entry) $37,890 $18.22/hr
25th (Junior) $50,900 $24.47/hr
50th (Median) $51,250 $24.64/hr
75th (Senior) $63,190 $30.38/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $63,190 $30.38/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Quality Control Inspector in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
1
QC Inspector ApprenticeVisual inspection, measurement calipers, rejection log documentation
$33,766$16.23/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Certified Quality InspectorCMM operation, blueprint GD&T interpretation, non-conformance reports
$48,538$23.34/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Senior Quality Assurance TechSix Sigma green belt, statistical process control (SPC), ISO 9001 audits
$65,421$31.45/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Quality Assurance ManagerPlant quality management system, vendor audits, compliance signoff
$86,525$41.60/hr · 8+ Years
Scaled to the Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA medianView National Quality Control Inspector Salary Data
Adjacent Career Pivots & National Pay Differences
Engine and Other Machine Assemblers+$5,140/yr
National median: $53,710
Skill overlap: 84%
Industrial Machinery Mechanics+$15,950/yr
National median: $64,520
Skill overlap: 81%View Salary
Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers+$16,810/yr
National median: $65,380
Skill overlap: 81%
Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping-$2,190/yr
National median: $46,380
Skill overlap: 78%
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)
25% 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$51,250-$8,700$39,475$1,518.25
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$60,859-$10,863$46,345$1,782.50
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$70,469-$13,025$53,216$2,046.75
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$80,078-$16,065$59,209$2,277.26
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$89,688-$19,130$65,176$2,506.77
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

Quality Control Inspector 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
$51,250/yr
$24.64/hr · SOC 51-9061
Statutory Tax Drag
16.98% Effective
-$8,700 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
25% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,452/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 51-9061
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

Quality Control Inspector in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA: Market Snapshot

Quality Control Inspector roles in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA report a median annual wage of $51,250, 5.5% above the national median of $48,570. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $37,890 to $63,190, and HUD’s $838 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 19.6% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $19.94 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Quality Control Inspector

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Lexington Park, MD$92,000+79.5%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$76,800+49.9%
Savannah, GA$72,800+42.0%
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$71,950+40.4%
Anchorage, AK$71,470+39.5%
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA$68,060+32.8%
Flagstaff, AZ$65,840+28.5%
Bismarck, ND$63,910+24.7%
Lake Charles, LA$63,570+24.0%
Gulfport-Biloxi, MS$63,520+23.9%

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, 388 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.

Quality Control Inspector Salary in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA (2026) Overview

Quality Control Inspector median pay in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA is $51,250 a year ($24.64/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD. Official 2026 economic data for Quality Control Inspector 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 Quality Control Inspector in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA?

The median annual wage is $51,250 ($24.64 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $37,890 and $63,190. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Quality Control Inspector in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA after taxes?

On the median wage of $51,250, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $42,064 a year ($3,505 a month) after $9,186 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 17.92%, using 2026 tax rules.