SOC 41-3041 · Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA metro

Travel Agents Salary in Waterloo, IA

The average salary for travel agents in Waterloo, Iowa is $43,600 a year ($20.96 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $39,780: half of the 30 people in this job in the Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 20% less than the U.S. average for this job ($54,660).

$43,600average per year

$20.96 / hourMedian $39,780Take-home ≈ $36,168

  • $34K10th
  • $37K25th
  • $40KMedian
  • $46K75th
  • $59K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

30people in this job
-20%vs U.S. average
#3 of 3Iowa metros
87cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Travel Agents pay range in Waterloo

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $34,290 a year or less, while the top 10% make $58,960 or more. The middle half of travel agents in Waterloo earn between $36,520 and $45,840.

  • $34K10th
  • $37K25th
  • $40KMedian
  • $46K75th
  • $59K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$43,600$3,633$20.96
Median$39,780$3,315$19.12
Entry level (25th percentile)$36,520$3,043$17.56
Experienced (75th percentile)$45,840$3,820$22.04

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.

Travel Agents pay in Waterloo vs. Iowa and the U.S.

Travel agents in Waterloo earn 7% less than the Iowa average ($46,950) and 20% less than the U.S. average ($54,660). At the median the gap is -21% against the U.S. median of $50,160.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Waterloo$43,600$39,780$34,290$58,96030
Iowa$46,950$45,440$32,710$62,180290
United States$54,660$50,160$34,610$76,66055,110

State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.

Travel Agents salary after taxes in Waterloo

On the average salary of $43,600, a single filer in Waterloo takes home about $36,168 a year, or $3,014 a month and $1,391 every two weeks. Taxes take 17% of gross pay.

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Iowa school district surtaxes (a percentage of state tax in some districts) are not included.

Iowa paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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Is Waterloo a good place for travel agents? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Waterloo area are 13% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 87.1), so the average $43,600 buys what about $50,082 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Waterloo ($47,430). A typical home costs $200,191, or 4.6 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $43,600 is worth in another city

Travel Agents salary in other Iowa cities

Waterloo ranks 3rd of 3 Iowa metro areas for this job; Des Moines pays the most ($50,380).

All Travel Agents salaries in Iowa

Highest-paying cities for travel agents

Bridgeport, CT pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($66,650).

Travel Agents salary by city

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Reviewed before it counts. Travel Agents in Waterloo, IA.

Travel Agents salary in Waterloo: questions

How much do travel agents make an hour in Waterloo?

$20.96 an hour on average, and $19.13 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level travel agents salary in Waterloo?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $34,290 a year and the 25th percentile is $36,520, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the travel agents take-home pay in Waterloo?

About $36,168 a year ($3,014 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $43,600. Iowa school district surtaxes (a percentage of state tax in some districts) are not included.

Do travel agents earn more in Waterloo than elsewhere?

The average here is 20% less than the U.S. average for this job ($54,660).

Sources and how to read this page

  • Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 41-3041; area Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA (47940). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.6%.
  • U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
  • Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
  • Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
  • Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Iowa school district surtaxes (a percentage of state tax in some districts) are not included.
  • Job concentration: location quotient 1.13, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.

Read the full methodology. Spotted an error? Tell us.