Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
How much does a Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health actually take home in Iowa?
3.9% flat rate — 23.2% effective total tax rateData: BLS OEWS 2025 + IRS/State Tax Brackets 2024 • Updated 2026-05-19
Detailed line-by-line tax calculation for a Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health earning $78,780 in Iowa (single filer, standard deduction).
| Tax Component | Annual Amount | Effective Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary (Median) | $78,780 | — |
| Federal Income Tax | -$9,172 | 11.6% |
| Iowa State Income Tax | -$3,072 | 3.9% |
| Social Security (OASDI) | -$4,884 | 6.2% |
| Medicare | -$1,142 | 1.4% |
| Total Taxes | -$18,271 | 23.2% |
| Take-Home Pay | $60,508 | 76.8% |
Take-home pay varies significantly across experience levels. Here is the after-tax breakdown for each salary percentile of Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health in Iowa.
| Percentile | Gross Salary | Total Taxes | Take-Home Pay | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $54,340 | -$10,813 | $43,526 | 19.9% |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $62,080 | -$12,668 | $49,411 | 20.4% |
| Median (P50) | $78,780 | -$18,271 | $60,508 | 23.2% |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $91,070 | -$22,394 | $68,675 | 24.6% |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $117,040 | -$31,146 | $85,893 | 26.6% |
After federal income tax ($9,172), state tax ($3,072), and FICA ($6,026), a Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health in Iowa takes home $60,508 per year — or $5,042 per month. The effective tax rate of 23.2% is relatively low compared to the national range.
With an effective total rate of 23.2%, a Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health in Iowa keeps $60,508 of $78,780 gross — roughly typical for U.S. middle-income earners once federal, FICA and state taxes are combined.
Iowa applies a flat state income tax — every dollar of wage income is taxed at the same rate. For this Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health salary that contributes $3,072 to the 3.9% effective state-tax burden.
Federal tax on this Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health salary is $9,173 (50%), but combined state ($3,072, 17%) + FICA ($6,027, 33%) make up the other 50% of the bill.
Moving this same Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health salary to a zero-state-tax state would yield around $63,581 net — a gain of $3,072 (5.1%) per year versus Iowa.
Iowa ranks #27 of 51 states for Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health after-tax pay — lower half of the national distribution. Either gross wages trail the national median, state tax is elevated, or both.
Translated into paycheck cadences, $60,508 net/year works out to $5,042/month or $2,327/bi-weekly for this Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health in Iowa — the numbers that actually hit a checking account after every deduction.
Where does a Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health keep the most of their paycheck? Top 10 states ranked by after-tax take-home pay.
Iowa ranks #27 out of 51 states for Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health after-tax take-home pay.
A Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health in Iowa earning a median salary of $78,780 will take home approximately $60,508 per year after federal income tax ($9,172), state income tax ($3,072), and FICA ($6,026). That is $5,042 per month or $2,327 per bi-weekly paycheck.
The effective total tax rate for a Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health in Iowa is 23.2%, broken down as: federal income tax 11.6%, Iowa state tax 3.9%, and FICA (Social Security + Medicare) 7.6%. This assumes a single filer with the standard deduction for 2024.
Iowa has a 3.9% flat rate. On a Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health's median salary of $78,780, the state income tax amounts to $3,072 per year, which is an effective state rate of 3.9%.
After all taxes, a Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health in Iowa takes home approximately $5,042 per month, or about $29.09 per hour (based on a standard 2,080-hour work year). These figures assume a single filer, standard deduction, and no additional pre-tax deductions.
We start with the 2025 BLS median salary of $78,780 for Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health in Iowa, then subtract: federal income tax using 2024 IRS brackets ($14,600 standard deduction), Iowa state income tax (3.9% flat rate), Social Security (6.2% up to $168,600), and Medicare (1.45%). The result — $60,508/yr — does not include local taxes, pre-tax deductions (401k, HSA), or tax credits.
Some links are affiliate links. See our disclosure.
This estimate assumes a single filer using the 2024 standard deduction ($14,600), with W-2 employment income only. It does not account for: itemized deductions, tax credits (e.g. earned income credit, child tax credit), local/city taxes, pre-tax contributions (401k, HSA, FSA), self-employment tax, or additional income sources. Actual take-home pay may differ. Consult a tax professional for personalized advice.
Our Methodology · Data Sources · Salary: BLS OEWS · Tax: IRS + State DOR