How much do Animal Caretakers make in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA?

Percentile spread

For Animal Caretakers, the published 10th percentile is $23,090 and the 90th percentile is $35,010. The difference is $11,920, which is 39.9% of the median. Ten percent of measured wages fall below the 10th percentile and ten percent fall above the 90th. How to read a percentile.

The middle half of the distribution, from the 25th percentile at $29,430 to the 75th at $35,010, covers $5,580.

The mean annual wage is $31,210, which sits above the median of $29,870. Median and mean measure different points in the same distribution.

National and state comparison

The Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA median is 15.5% lower than the national median of $35,360 for Animal Caretakers. In 2024 national prices the local median is $34,311, which is 3% lower than that same national median. The national figure is already in national prices because the United States parity is 100.

It is 0.7% lower than the Iowa median of $30,080.

Price-adjusted pay

The 2024 all-items regional price parity for Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA is 87.057, with the United States at 100. The Bureau of Economic Analysis released those parities on February 19, 2026. Dividing the May 2025 median of $29,870 by that parity and multiplying by 100 puts Animal Caretakers at $34,311 in national prices. The wage year and the price year are different. Compare this wage after prices.

Nearby metros

16 other metropolitan areas within 200 miles publish a annual median for Animal Caretakers. Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA ranks 13th of 17 on that median, counting itself. Distance is the great-circle mileage between Census Bureau internal points (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files, Core Based Statistical Areas, internal points (INTPTLAT, INTPTLONG).).

• Cedar Rapids, IA is 53 miles away, with a median of $29,190 and employment of 340. That median is 2.3% lower than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $32,811, against $34,311 here.
• Ames, IA is 72 miles away, with a median of $38,700 and employment of 190. That median is 29.6% higher than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $43,566, against $34,311 here.
• Dubuque, IA is 81 miles away, with a median of $29,420 and employment of 80. That median is 1.5% lower than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $33,689, against $34,311 here.

Employment share

Animal Caretakers accounts for 0.56% of wage-and-salary employment in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA (470 of 84,260). Nationally the occupation is 0.17% of employment (266,910 of 155,495,730). The local share is 3.25 times the national share. That ratio is the location quotient computed from these May 2025 employment counts. It is not copied from the location-quotient column in the BLS bulk file.