High paying entry level jobs in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA

These occupations in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA ask for no prior experience in a related job and no on-the-job training period: you are expected to be productive on arrival. That is precisely why most of them want a specific qualification instead — the credential does the work the experience would have. Read the line under each title for what that qualification is; several here are doctorates. If you need something you can start without one, use the no-experience list.

Cost of living: prices in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA run 12.9% below the national average (2024), so a Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA salary is worth about 1.15× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order.

Local wage estimates are suppressed more often than state ones — BLS withholds any figure too few local employers report — so an occupation missing here simply has no published local estimate.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA

OccupationMedian, Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA · Employed

1Dentists, General$163,600
Doctoral or professional degree
$101,000 – $219,74060
2Pharmacists$138,690
Doctoral or professional degree
$103,960 – $165,500160
3Physician Assistants$132,880
Master's degree
$100,430 – $191,90060
4Veterinarians$130,740
Doctoral or professional degree
$77,910 – $164,41060
5Lawyers$126,570
Doctoral or professional degree
$63,800 – $360,480160
6Nurse Practitioners$126,330
Master's degree
$104,330 – $172,420260
7Software Developers$113,970
Bachelor's degree
$64,640 – $167,230280
8Computer Occupations, All Other$107,660
Bachelor's degree
$35,850 – $187,200140
9Postsecondary Teachers, All Other$103,680
Doctoral or professional degree
$64,020 – $103,680250
10Occupational Therapists$98,240
Master's degree
$74,770 – $116,19080
11Civil Engineers$97,430
Bachelor's degree
$61,680 – $128,360110
12Physical Therapists$97,180
Doctoral or professional degree
$74,860 – $119,240120
13Engineers, All Other$96,440
Bachelor's degree
$59,650 – $119,60040
14Industrial Engineers$92,330
Bachelor's degree
$73,980 – $125,780120
15Mechanical Engineers$88,770
Bachelor's degree
$65,750 – $130,560190
16Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$85,100
Bachelor's degree
$52,120 – $105,41050
17Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$84,920
Bachelor's degree
$55,160 – $125,36090
18Dental Hygienists$82,500
Associate's degree
$76,770 – $93,890130
19Network and Computer Systems Administrators$82,260
Bachelor's degree
$60,530 – $126,110150
20Data Scientists$82,050
Bachelor's degree
$63,380 – $153,05070
21Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$81,930
Associate's degree
$56,830 – $120,72030
22Project Management Specialists$81,600
Bachelor's degree
$50,870 – $130,730190
23Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$80,620
Associate's degree
$70,180 – $101,97040
24Computer Systems Analysts$80,140
Bachelor's degree
$61,930 – $102,770130
25Financial and Investment Analysts$80,100
Bachelor's degree
$58,660 – $128,18040
26Computer Programmers$78,250
Bachelor's degree
$51,730 – $102,67060
27Web Developers$78,140
Bachelor's degree
$46,800 – $106,17030
28Financial Specialists, All Other$77,840
Bachelor's degree
$49,890 – $105,93090
29Registered Nurses$76,920
Bachelor's degree
$63,100 – $97,3101,890
30Logisticians$75,470
Bachelor's degree
$47,690 – $111,76070
31Accountants and Auditors$73,530
Bachelor's degree
$48,610 – $122,140540
32Business Operations Specialists, All Other$69,960
Bachelor's degree
$32,690 – $106,270230
33Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$69,320
Associate's degree
$48,470 – $86,85040
34Communications Teachers, Postsecondary$66,010
Doctoral or professional degree
$45,930 – $79,96030
35Respiratory Therapists$65,070
Associate's degree
$56,550 – $80,24070
36Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$64,370
Associate's degree
$48,800 – $81,790150
37Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$64,000
Bachelor's degree
$38,400 – $104,560370
38Chiropractors$63,280
Doctoral or professional degree
$36,450 – $117,53040
39Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$63,180
Master's degree
$36,830 – $92,09080
40Physical Therapist Assistants$62,850
Associate's degree
$37,300 – $72,80060
41Human Resources Specialists$61,900
Bachelor's degree
$39,770 – $99,810360
42Public Relations Specialists$61,810
Bachelor's degree
$42,630 – $115,440130
43Occupational Therapy Assistants$61,560
Associate's degree
$47,670 – $74,32040
44Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$60,780
Bachelor's degree
$47,220 – $77,500890
45Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$60,530
Bachelor's degree
$48,080 – $74,95060
46Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$60,460
Bachelor's degree
$47,170 – $88,380400
47Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$60,440
Bachelor's degree
$47,520 – $77,800660
48Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$59,950
Postsecondary nondegree award
$50,730 – $74,530360
49Surgical Technologists$59,910
Postsecondary nondegree award
$39,790 – $62,19040
50Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$59,760
Bachelor's degree
$47,760 – $88,00070

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianWaterloo-Cedar Falls, IA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$163,600	$101,000 – $219,740	60
2	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$138,690	$103,960 – $165,500	160
3	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$132,880	$100,430 – $191,900	60
4	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$130,740	$77,910 – $164,410	60
5	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$126,570	$63,800 – $360,480	160
6	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$126,330	$104,330 – $172,420	260
7	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$113,970	$64,640 – $167,230	280
8	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$107,660	$35,850 – $187,200	140
9	Postsecondary Teachers, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$103,680	$64,020 – $103,680	250
10	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$98,240	$74,770 – $116,190	80
11	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$97,430	$61,680 – $128,360	110
12	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$97,180	$74,860 – $119,240	120
13	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$96,440	$59,650 – $119,600	40
14	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$92,330	$73,980 – $125,780	120
15	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$88,770	$65,750 – $130,560	190
16	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$85,100	$52,120 – $105,410	50
17	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$84,920	$55,160 – $125,360	90
18	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$82,500	$76,770 – $93,890	130
19	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$82,260	$60,530 – $126,110	150
20	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$82,050	$63,380 – $153,050	70
21	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$81,930	$56,830 – $120,720	30
22	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$81,600	$50,870 – $130,730	190
23	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$80,620	$70,180 – $101,970	40
24	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$80,140	$61,930 – $102,770	130
25	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$80,100	$58,660 – $128,180	40
26	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$78,250	$51,730 – $102,670	60
27	Web DevelopersBachelor's degree	$78,140	$46,800 – $106,170	30
28	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$77,840	$49,890 – $105,930	90
29	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$76,920	$63,100 – $97,310	1,890
30	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$75,470	$47,690 – $111,760	70
31	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$73,530	$48,610 – $122,140	540
32	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$69,960	$32,690 – $106,270	230
33	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$69,320	$48,470 – $86,850	40
34	Communications Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$66,010	$45,930 – $79,960	30
35	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$65,070	$56,550 – $80,240	70
36	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$64,370	$48,800 – $81,790	150
37	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$64,000	$38,400 – $104,560	370
38	ChiropractorsDoctoral or professional degree	$63,280	$36,450 – $117,530	40
39	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$63,180	$36,830 – $92,090	80
40	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$62,850	$37,300 – $72,800	60
41	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$61,900	$39,770 – $99,810	360
42	Public Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$61,810	$42,630 – $115,440	130
43	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$61,560	$47,670 – $74,320	40
44	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$60,780	$47,220 – $77,500	890
45	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$60,530	$48,080 – $74,950	60
46	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$60,460	$47,170 – $88,380	400
47	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$60,440	$47,520 – $77,800	660
48	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$59,950	$50,730 – $74,530	360
49	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$59,910	$39,790 – $62,190	40
50	Special Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$59,760	$47,760 – $88,000	70

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA. The rarer ones are real jobs — but a 1,190-person occupation at the top of a list answers a different question than the one most readers are asking.

More for Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA

Other metro areas in IA

By field in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA

Without a degree

The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA

More for Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA

Other metro areas in IA

By field in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA

Without a degree

High paying entry level jobs in each state