Iowa taxes wages at one flat rate, and its payroll formula takes four short steps. Your employer subtracts a deduction based on the marital status on your IA W-4, applies the flat rate to what is left, then takes your allowances off the resulting tax and adds any extra withholding you asked for.
The IA W-4 now works in dollars. On the current form, allowances are entered as a dollar total rather than a count, and that total on line 7 comes straight off the tax rather than off your wages. Older certificates that list a number of allowances are still honored, with payroll converting each one at a fixed amount, so the calculator lets you enter either version. The marital status section has three outcomes: one deduction for single filers and for married couples where both spouses have earned income, a larger one for heads of household, and the largest for a married couple where only one spouse earns.
Iowa has a single reciprocal agreement, with Illinois. An Illinois resident working in Iowa files Form 44-016, the Employee’s Statement of Nonresidence in Iowa, and the employer withholds Illinois tax instead of Iowa tax. Running the other way, an Iowa resident working in Illinois files Illinois Form IL-W-5-NR to have Illinois withholding stopped. The agreement matters most in the Quad Cities and other river towns, where crossing the Mississippi for work is common. Commuters from Nebraska, Minnesota and Iowa’s other neighbors have no such form, so Iowa withholds on their Iowa work, and Iowa residents working in a neighboring state that taxes wages have that tax counted against their Iowa withholding.
There is no employee payroll levy in Iowa. Some local taxes on wages exist but are not yet in our tables; if one appears on your stub, choose “Other / not listed” in the calculator and enter the rate shown. Enter your IA W-4 details below to see each paycheck.
How Iowa taxes your paycheck
State income tax withholding
On the tax return, Iowa taxes income at a single rate of 3.8%. Employers withhold at the same rate, after the allowances or exemptions claimed on the state withholding form. The withholding figures here follow Iowa's own instructions for employers.
For a single filer paid every two weeks, Iowa withholds 2.2% of a $30,000 salary and 3.5% of $150,000:
| Salary | Iowa tax withheld | Share of pay |
|---|---|---|
| $30,000 | $646 | 2.2% |
| $50,000 | $1,406 | 2.8% |
| $75,000 | $2,356 | 3.1% |
| $100,000 | $3,306 | 3.3% |
| $150,000 | $5,206 | 3.5% |
City and county taxes
Some Iowa cities, counties or school districts charge a tax on wages, but none is in our 2026 tables yet. Choose "Other / not listed" in the calculator and enter the rate shown on your pay stub.
Living in one state and working in another
Iowa has a reciprocal agreement with Illinois. An Illinois resident who works in Iowa has only Illinois tax withheld after giving the employer the exemption form.
For a job in any other state, Iowa withholds as well but subtracts the other state's tax first, so the two are not added in full. Enter both states in the calculator to see it; the guide to reciprocity agreements covers the rest.
Iowa take-home pay by salary
Net pay per paycheck at each salary, single with no 401(k), benefits or extra withholding, living and working in Iowa. It runs from $986.11 every two weeks on $30,000 to $4,176.35 on $150,000. For a 401(k), health premiums or a different filing status, use the calculator above.
| Salary | Weekly | Every two weeks | Twice a month | Monthly | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $30,000 | $493.05 | $986.11 | $1,068.28 | $2,136.59 | $25,639 |
| $40,000 | $640.28 | $1,280.54 | $1,387.25 | $2,774.50 | $33,294 |
| $50,000 | $787.48 | $1,574.97 | $1,706.20 | $3,412.42 | $40,949 |
| $60,000 | $934.69 | $1,869.38 | $2,025.16 | $4,050.34 | $48,604 |
| $75,000 | $1,139.17 | $2,278.32 | $2,468.19 | $4,936.37 | $59,236 |
| $90,000 | $1,331.13 | $2,662.27 | $2,884.12 | $5,768.25 | $69,219 |
| $100,000 | $1,459.12 | $2,918.23 | $3,161.42 | $6,322.83 | $75,874 |
| $125,000 | $1,777.83 | $3,555.67 | $3,851.98 | $7,703.96 | $92,447 |
| $150,000 | $2,088.17 | $4,176.35 | $4,524.37 | $9,048.75 | $108,585 |
Hourly pay after tax in Iowa
At 40 hours a week, $25.00 an hour comes to $816.92 in a weekly paycheck and $42,480 over the year, which is $20.42 for each hour worked. Overtime, tips and a different schedule change these figures: switch the calculator to its Hourly tab to enter them.
| Hourly wage | Weekly paycheck | Year | Per hour after tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| $15.00 | $510.72 | $26,558 | $12.77 |
| $20.00 | $663.82 | $34,519 | $16.60 |
| $25.00 | $816.92 | $42,480 | $20.42 |
| $30.00 | $970.02 | $50,441 | $24.25 |
| $40.00 | $1,244.11 | $64,694 | $31.10 |
| $50.00 | $1,510.31 | $78,536 | $37.76 |
Worked example: the median wage in Iowa
The median annual wage in Iowa is $48,540: half of all jobs pay more and half pay less, in the Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey for May 2025 (all occupations; survey date May 31, 2025). Paid every two weeks as a single filer, with no 401(k) or benefits, that salary works out like this.
| Line | Each paycheck | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $1,866.92 | $48,540.00 |
| Federal income tax | $140.18 | $3,644.69 |
| Social Security | $115.75 | $3,009.50 |
| Medicare | $27.07 | $703.82 |
| Iowa income tax | $51.94 | $1,350.45 |
| Take-home pay | $1,531.98 | $39,831.54 |
You keep 82.1% of gross pay. Of the $8,708 withheld, federal income tax is the largest part at $3,645, followed by Social Security at $3,010.
Iowa paycheck questions
How much is $48,540 a year after taxes in Iowa?
Paid every two weeks as a single filer with no pre-tax deductions, $48,540 a year in Iowa leaves $39,832 after tax, or $1,531.98 a paycheck. Federal income tax takes $3,645 and Social Security and Medicare $3,713; Iowa income tax takes $1,350. $48,540 is the median annual wage for all jobs in Iowa in the Bureau of Labor Statistics survey for May 2025.
Is Iowa income tax a flat rate?
Yes. On the tax return, Iowa taxes income at a single rate of 3.8%. Employers withhold at the same rate, after the allowances or exemptions claimed on the state withholding form. At the median wage, Iowa withholds 2.8% of gross pay.
Do cities or counties in Iowa tax wages?
Some do, but none is in our 2026 tables yet. Pick "Other / not listed" in the calculator and enter the rate from your pay stub.
I live in another state and work in Iowa. Which state withholds?
Iowa has a reciprocal agreement with Illinois. An Illinois resident who works in Iowa has only Illinois tax withheld after giving the employer the exemption form.
What is $75,000 a year biweekly in Iowa?
$2,278.32 a paycheck, single, with no 401(k) or other deductions. Paid twice a month it is $2,468.19, and monthly $4,936.37. Over the year that is $59,236.
Sources
Rules checked . How we calculate.