Mechanical Engineer salary in Waterloo, IA
Based on 14 certified H-1B filings in the Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Cedar Falls, Janesville, Jesup, Waverly.
Also listed as: Mechanical Design Engineer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $84,552 |
| 25th | $87,375 |
| 50th (median) | $97,168 |
| 75th | $113,157 |
| 90th | $119,100 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $77,959 | $77,173 | $89,609 | 24 |
| FY2021 | $87,250 | $76,625 | $100,000 | 10 |
| FY2022 | $88,962 | $77,000 | $100,900 | 13 |
| FY2023 | – | – | – | 8 |
| FY2024 | – | – | – | 8 |
| FY2025 | $98,031 | $86,526 | $115,605 | 11 |
| FY2026 | – | – | – | 3 |
Cost of living
Waterloo's median Mechanical Engineer salary of $97,168 is worth about $111,600 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Waterloo = 87.1).
Compared with all workers here
All Mechanical Engineers in the Waterloo, IA area earned a median of $88,770 in May 2025 (190 employed). The H-1B median here is $97,168, 9% higher.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Top employers filing
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Deere & Company | too few | 7 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | – | 0 |
| Mid-level · Level II | too few | 2 |
| Senior · Level III | too few | 4 |
| Expert · Level IV | – | 0 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.