Office Manager salary in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
Hiring an office manager costs less in Waterloo-Cedar Falls than in Iowa or the country as a whole. The median is $60,420 a year1: 6.2% below the Iowa statewide median of $64,400 and 13.1% below the US median of $69,500. Among US areas it comes in at #342 of 519. About 500 office managers work here, 5% of the Iowa total.
BLS occupation 43-1011, area Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Waterloo-Cedar Falls against Iowa and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $39,250 | $60,420 | $88,050 | |
| Iowa | $43,680 | $64,400 | $97,710 | |
| United States | $45,610 | $69,500 | $104,710 |
The middle half of office managers in Waterloo-Cedar Falls earns $50,080–$76,320. The top tenth earns $88,050 or more, 2.2 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.3 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $26,240 wide, against $29,000 across Iowa and $29,140 nationally: employers in Waterloo-Cedar Falls pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for an office manager here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $39,250 | $3,271 | $18.87 | $50,645 |
| 25th percentile | $50,080 | $4,173 | $24.08 | $64,619 |
| Median | $60,420 | $5,035 | $29.05 | $77,961 |
| 75th percentile | $76,320 | $6,360 | $36.69 | $98,477 |
| 90th percentile | $88,050 | $7,338 | $42.33 | $113,613 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $15,900 over the median, the 25th only $10,340 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $20,516 a year in employer cost. These percentiles describe what people in the job earn locally, not experience levels, so place your offer by the tasks and seniority you need.
For scale, the US median of $69,500 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, and the Iowa statewide median of $64,400 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Waterloo-Cedar Falls
Pay is only part of it. Benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, which adds about $17,541 to the $60,420 median and brings it to $77,961 a year. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.
We place executive assistants, customer support and e-commerce staff today; for office managers we answer within one business day whether we can help. Enter the monthly pay you have in mind to compare it with a local hire. The fee field shows our standard fee3; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool4.
Other roles in Waterloo-Cedar Falls
Of the 17 roles we track in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, this one ranks #5 by median pay, between recruiters ($61,900) and executive assistants ($59,770). Project Coordinator is the highest at $81,600.
| Role | Median | vs office manager | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marketing Specialist | +5.9% | 370 | |
| Recruiter | +2.4% | 360 | |
| Office Manager | this role | 500 | |
| Executive Assistant | -1.1% | 170 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -5.0% | 280 |
Measured against the US median, office managers rank #10 of the 17 roles we track in Waterloo-Cedar Falls (-13.1%), between accountants (-12.1%) and e-commerce order specialists (-14.1%). The typical role here is at -12.1%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Office managers hold 7.8% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, 7.5% across Iowa and 9.1% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Iowa
Across the 12 areas of Iowa with data for this job, the median runs from $57,940 in the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area to $71,690 in Des Moines-West Des Moines, a gap of $13,750 a year. Of the 7 areas in Iowa with more office managers than Waterloo-Cedar Falls, 1 pays less: the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area ($57,940).
| Area | Median | vs Waterloo-Cedar Falls | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | +4.3% | 1,160 | |
| Northwest Iowa (Nonmetro) | +3.5% | 790 | |
| Southeast Iowa (Nonmetro) | +3.3% | 1,100 | |
| Sioux City, IA-NE | +2.2% | 420 | |
| Southwest Iowa (Nonmetro) | +1.0% | 430 | |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | this area | 500 | |
| Northeast Iowa (Nonmetro) | -4.1% | 610 |
Waterloo-Cedar Falls against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Waterloo-Cedar Falls is #406 of 517 US areas for this job. The market is small, and its pay sits near the middle of the US range. Outside Iowa, Wilmington and Sandusky pay just above Waterloo-Cedar Falls and Muncie and Macon-Bibb County just below. All four are within $70 a year of the median in Waterloo-Cedar Falls. Of the three markets with about as many office managers, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Waterloo-Cedar Falls | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | +5.6% | 500 | jobs | |
| Sandusky, OH | +0.0% | 350 | pay | |
| Wilmington, NC | +0.0% | 1,250 | pay | |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | this area | 500 | ||
| Muncie, IN | -0.0% | 320 | pay | |
| Macon-Bibb County, GA | -0.1% | 780 | pay | |
| Burlington, NC | -1.6% | 500 | jobs | |
| Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | -5.1% | 500 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an office manager in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA?
About $77,961 a year at the median, or $6,497 a month: $60,420 in pay plus about $17,541 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for office managers in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
The median was $60,420 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $39,250, the 90th $88,050, and the middle half earned $50,080 to $76,320.
Is Waterloo-Cedar Falls cheaper than the rest of Iowa for office managers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $60,420 against $64,400 statewide. The next area up in Iowa is the Southwest Iowa nonmetro area at $61,010, the next down the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area at $57,940.
How many office managers work in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
BLS counts about 500 in the May 2025 survey. That is 5% of the Iowa total of 10,190. 7 areas in Iowa have more; the closest in size is Iowa City, with about 600.
Does an office manager cost more than an executive assistant in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Yes: $650 a year more at the median. The medians are $60,420 and $59,770.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-1011: bls.gov
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
- Stafka pricing: stafka.com
- Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.