Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
How much does a Firefighters actually take home in Iowa?
3.9% flat rate — 20.0% effective total tax rateData: BLS OEWS 2025 + IRS/State Tax Brackets 2024 • Updated 2026-05-19
Detailed line-by-line tax calculation for a Firefighters earning $55,810 in Iowa (single filer, standard deduction).
| Tax Component | Annual Amount | Effective Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary (Median) | $55,810 | — |
| Federal Income Tax | -$4,713 | 8.4% |
| Iowa State Income Tax | -$2,176 | 3.9% |
| Social Security (OASDI) | -$3,460 | 6.2% |
| Medicare | -$809 | 1.5% |
| Total Taxes | -$11,159 | 20.0% |
| Take-Home Pay | $44,650 | 80.0% |
Take-home pay varies significantly across experience levels. Here is the after-tax breakdown for each salary percentile of Firefighters in Iowa.
| Percentile | Gross Salary | Total Taxes | Take-Home Pay | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $32,240 | -$5,608 | $26,631 | 17.4% |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $46,020 | -$8,853 | $37,166 | 19.2% |
| Median (P50) | $55,810 | -$11,159 | $44,650 | 20.0% |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $63,280 | -$13,071 | $50,208 | 20.7% |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $87,720 | -$21,271 | $66,448 | 24.2% |
After federal income tax ($4,713), state tax ($2,176), and FICA ($4,269), a Firefighters in Iowa takes home $44,650 per year — or $3,720 per month. The effective tax rate of 20.0% is relatively low compared to the national range.
With an effective total rate of 20.0%, a Firefighters in Iowa keeps $44,651 of $55,810 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 Firefighters salary that contributes $2,177 to the 3.9% effective state-tax burden.
Federal tax on this Firefighters salary is $4,713 (42%), but combined state ($2,177, 20%) + FICA ($4,269, 38%) make up the other 58% of the bill.
A Firefighters earning this gross in a no-income-tax state (e.g., Texas, Florida) would take home approximately $46,827 — only $2,177 (4.9%) more than in Iowa.
Iowa ranks #27 of 50 states for Firefighters 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, $44,651 net/year works out to $3,721/month or $1,717/bi-weekly for this Firefighters in Iowa — the numbers that actually hit a checking account after every deduction.
Where does a Firefighters keep the most of their paycheck? Top 10 states ranked by after-tax take-home pay.
Iowa ranks #27 out of 50 states for Firefighters after-tax take-home pay.
A Firefighters in Iowa earning a median salary of $55,810 will take home approximately $44,650 per year after federal income tax ($4,713), state income tax ($2,176), and FICA ($4,269). That is $3,720 per month or $1,717 per bi-weekly paycheck.
The effective total tax rate for a Firefighters in Iowa is 20.0%, broken down as: federal income tax 8.4%, Iowa state tax 3.9%, and FICA (Social Security + Medicare) 7.7%. This assumes a single filer with the standard deduction for 2024.
Iowa has a 3.9% flat rate. On a Firefighters's median salary of $55,810, the state income tax amounts to $2,176 per year, which is an effective state rate of 3.9%.
After all taxes, a Firefighters in Iowa takes home approximately $3,720 per month, or about $21.47 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 $55,810 for Firefighters 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 — $44,650/yr — does not include local taxes, pre-tax deductions (401k, HSA), or tax credits.
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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