Salary guide, May 2025
Packaging Engineer pay in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
Manufacturing Headhunters uses the published BLS OEWS figures below. They describe the mapped occupation and area, not an individual offer.
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The median annual wage for Mechanical Engineers in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA was $88,770 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $78,360 and $112,090.
The Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA median is $15,340 below the national median of $104,110, both from BLS May 2025.
Broader occupation · SOC 17-2141 Mechanical Engineers
BLS measures this broader occupation across industries. It does not publish a separate wage for this manufacturing title.
What should you know about waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA?
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $65,750 | $78,360 | $88,770 | $112,090 | $130,560 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $31.61 | $37.68 | $42.68 | $53.89 | $62.77 |
BLS estimated 190 workers employed in this occupation in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA. Location quotient: 1.21.
What should you know about united States?
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $73,990 | $84,130 | $104,110 | $132,590 | $164,340 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $35.57 | $40.45 | $50.05 | $63.75 | $79.01 |
What should you know about role pay against all occupations here?
The published Packaging Engineer median is $88,770. The all-occupations median in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA is $47,430. Ratio: 1.87 (role median divided by all-occupations median, same units, BLS May 2025). Location quotient 1.21 measures how concentrated this occupation's employment is here against the nation. It is not a wage index.
What should you know about two BLS releases?
| Release period | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2024 | $76,740 | $97,570 | $128,530 |
| May 2025 | $78,360 | $88,770 | $112,090 |
These are two separate BLS estimates from different survey panels. The workers and employers behind them differ, so the gap is not like-for-like pay for the same workers and is not a growth rate. We show no percentage change.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 17-2141 Mechanical Engineers, Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA. Official occupation data · Official area tables. Released 2026-05-15.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 17-2141 Mechanical Engineers, U.S.. Official occupation data · Official area tables. Released 2026-05-15.
What should you know about nearby areas?
| Area | Median | 25th to 75th |
|---|---|---|
| Cedar Rapids, IA | $84,630 | $77,020 to $102,970 |
| Ames, IA | $98,610 | $82,440 to $106,080 |
All roles in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA · National page · Packaging Engineer ranked across metros