Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
How much does a Materials Scientists actually take home in Iowa?
3.9% flat rate — 24.3% effective total tax rateData: BLS OEWS 2025 + IRS/State Tax Brackets 2024 • Updated 2026-05-19
Detailed line-by-line tax calculation for a Materials Scientists earning $88,320 in Iowa (single filer, standard deduction).
| Tax Component | Annual Amount | Effective Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary (Median) | $88,320 | — |
| Federal Income Tax | -$11,271 | 12.8% |
| Iowa State Income Tax | -$3,444 | 3.9% |
| Social Security (OASDI) | -$5,475 | 6.2% |
| Medicare | -$1,280 | 1.5% |
| Total Taxes | -$21,472 | 24.3% |
| Take-Home Pay | $66,847 | 75.7% |
Take-home pay varies significantly across experience levels. Here is the after-tax breakdown for each salary percentile of Materials Scientists in Iowa.
| Percentile | Gross Salary | Total Taxes | Take-Home Pay | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $52,450 | -$10,367 | $42,082 | 19.8% |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $67,590 | -$14,517 | $53,072 | 21.5% |
| Median (P50) | $88,320 | -$21,472 | $66,847 | 24.3% |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $124,100 | -$33,656 | $90,443 | 27.1% |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $149,020 | -$42,515 | $106,504 | 28.5% |
After federal income tax ($11,271), state tax ($3,444), and FICA ($6,756), a Materials Scientists in Iowa takes home $66,847 per year — or $5,570 per month. The effective tax rate of 24.3% is relatively low compared to the national range.
With an effective total rate of 24.3%, a Materials Scientists in Iowa keeps $66,848 of $88,320 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 Materials Scientists salary that contributes $3,444 to the 3.9% effective state-tax burden.
Federal tax on this Materials Scientists salary is $11,271 (52%), but combined state ($3,444, 16%) + FICA ($6,756, 31%) make up the other 48% of the bill.
Moving this same Materials Scientists salary to a zero-state-tax state would yield around $70,292 net — a gain of $3,444 (5.2%) per year versus Iowa.
Iowa sits near the bottom (#27 of 30) for Materials Scientists after-tax earnings. Relocation, negotiation, or credential stacking typically show the clearest ROI in bottom-quartile states.
Translated into paycheck cadences, $66,848 net/year works out to $5,571/month or $2,571/bi-weekly for this Materials Scientists in Iowa — the numbers that actually hit a checking account after every deduction.
Where does a Materials Scientists keep the most of their paycheck? Top 10 states ranked by after-tax take-home pay.
Iowa ranks #27 out of 30 states for Materials Scientists after-tax take-home pay.
A Materials Scientists in Iowa earning a median salary of $88,320 will take home approximately $66,847 per year after federal income tax ($11,271), state income tax ($3,444), and FICA ($6,756). That is $5,570 per month or $2,571 per bi-weekly paycheck.
The effective total tax rate for a Materials Scientists in Iowa is 24.3%, broken down as: federal income tax 12.8%, 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 Materials Scientists's median salary of $88,320, the state income tax amounts to $3,444 per year, which is an effective state rate of 3.9%.
After all taxes, a Materials Scientists in Iowa takes home approximately $5,570 per month, or about $32.14 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 $88,320 for Materials Scientists 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 — $66,847/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