Travel Nursing in Waterloo, IA

15 openings from $2,058–$2,698/week in Waterloo, IA — L&D, Med-Surg, Emergency Room. Pay by specialty, what it costs to live there, and 1 furnished place to stay.

15 openings from $2,058–$2,698/week right now.

Housing in Waterloo

1 furnished rental available for travel nurses.

Browse Waterloo housing

Cost of living in Waterloo

Prices in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA (Metropolitan Statistical Area) run 13% lower overall.

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024, where 100 is the national average.

Rent in Waterloo

The federal ceiling on tax-free lodging reimbursement in Waterloo is $110 per night, plus up to $68 a day for meals (GSA, FY2026). GSA names roughly 300 higher-cost destinations individually; Waterloo is not one, so the national standard rate applies. That is a maximum, not what agencies pay.

How Waterloo pay compares

For the same specialties, Waterloo pays about 5% below the national median, across 12 open listings. Once local prices are counted, that is worth about +9%. Each opening is compared with the national median for its own specialty, so the figure is not distorted by which specialties happen to be hiring here.

Licensing

Iowa is a Nurse Licensure Compact state, so an active multistate license covers you here. A single-state license from elsewhere does not.

Open assignments in Waterloo

• L&D RN — $2,193/week
• Med-Surg RN — $2,058/week
• Emergency Room RN — $2,264/week
• Telemetry RN — $2,072/week
• ICU RN — $2,192/week
• Interventional Radiology RN — $2,698/week

What Waterloo pays by specialty

Weekly package on assignments open now, for specialties with at least three priced postings.

• Emergency Room — $2,192/week median ($2,165–$2,264), 3 open
• L&D — $2,193/week median ($2,193–$2,263), 3 open

See all 15 openings in Waterloo

Hospitals hiring in Waterloo

1 hospital in Waterloo is hiring travel nurses, 15 openings in all. Each page lists the openings by specialty with advertised weekly pay, cost of living and housing nearby.

• Mercyone Waterloo Medical Center — 15 open · median $2,193/week advertised · 137 beds

Other cities in Iowa

• Des Moines — 74 openings
• Sioux City — 17 openings
• West Burlington — 15 openings
• Cedar Rapids — 11 openings
• Dubuque — 3 openings
• Mason City — 3 openings
• Carroll — 2 openings
• Clinton — 2 openings

Resources

• Travel nursing in Iowa
• Travel nursing by state
• Hospitals in Waterloo
• Housing across Iowa
• Travel Nurse Housing Guide
• Travel Nurse Pay Explained
• Pay Calculator

Common questions

How much do travel nurses make in Waterloo, IA?

Open assignments in Waterloo run $2,058 to $2,698 a week. L&D is highest at $2,193; Emergency Room lowest at $2,192.

Do I need a Iowa nursing license?

Iowa is a Nurse Licensure Compact state, so an active multistate license covers you here. A single-state license from elsewhere does not.

Is Waterloo expensive for travel nurses?

Against the national average, Waterloo runs housing 37% below, utilities 16% below, services 7% below and groceries and goods 6% below. (BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024, where 100 is the national average.)

What is rent for a travel nurse in Waterloo?

The market rate for a one-bedroom in Waterloo is $750 a month (HUD Fair Market Rent, 2025, utilities included). CircleRN lists 1 furnished place here.

How much of a travel nurse package is tax-free in Waterloo?

The federal ceiling on untaxed lodging in Waterloo is $110 a night, plus up to $68 a day for meals (GSA, FY2026). That is the national standard rate, which applies everywhere GSA has not named a higher-cost destination. That is a maximum, not what agencies pay, and stipends are only untaxed while you maintain a permanent tax home elsewhere.