Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
How much does a Physicists actually take home in Iowa?
3.9% flat rate — 29.3% effective total tax rateData: BLS OEWS 2025 + IRS/State Tax Brackets 2024 • Updated 2026-05-19
Detailed line-by-line tax calculation for a Physicists earning $178,110 in Iowa (single filer, standard deduction).
| Tax Component | Annual Amount | Effective Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary (Median) | $178,110 | — |
| Federal Income Tax | -$32,284 | 18.1% |
| Iowa State Income Tax | -$6,946 | 3.9% |
| Social Security (OASDI) | -$10,453 | 5.9% |
| Medicare | -$2,582 | 1.5% |
| Total Taxes | -$52,266 | 29.3% |
| Take-Home Pay | $125,843 | 70.7% |
Take-home pay varies significantly across experience levels. Here is the after-tax breakdown for each salary percentile of Physicists in Iowa.
| Percentile | Gross Salary | Total Taxes | Take-Home Pay | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $83,830 | -$19,965 | $63,864 | 23.8% |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $104,970 | -$27,058 | $77,911 | 25.8% |
| Median (P50) | $178,110 | -$52,266 | $125,843 | 29.3% |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $218,520 | -$65,251 | $153,268 | 29.9% |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $292,990 | -$94,776 | $198,213 | 32.3% |
After federal income tax ($32,284), state tax ($6,946), and FICA ($13,035), a Physicists in Iowa takes home $125,843 per year — or $10,486 per month. The effective tax rate of 29.3% is moderate compared to the national range.
A Physicists in Iowa loses 29.3% of gross pay to taxes — higher than the ~25% national midpoint. Of the $178,110 gross, $125,843 lands in the paycheck after federal ($32,285), state ($6,946), and FICA ($13,036) withholding.
Iowa applies a flat state income tax — every dollar of wage income is taxed at the same rate. For this Physicists salary that contributes $6,946 to the 3.9% effective state-tax burden.
Federal income tax ($32,285) accounts for 62% of the total tax bill — the single largest deduction. FICA adds $13,036 (25%), and state tax the remaining $6,946 (13%).
The state-tax gap is substantial: a Physicists earning this gross in a no-income-tax state would net about $132,789 — an extra $6,946 (5.5%) annually compared with Iowa.
For Physicists after-tax pay, Iowa ranks #9 of 43 states — top quartile. High gross wages or low state-tax burden (or both) drive the strong ranking.
Translated into paycheck cadences, $125,843 net/year works out to $10,487/month or $4,840/bi-weekly for this Physicists in Iowa — the numbers that actually hit a checking account after every deduction.
Where does a Physicists keep the most of their paycheck? Top 10 states ranked by after-tax take-home pay.
Iowa ranks #9 out of 43 states for Physicists after-tax take-home pay.
A Physicists in Iowa earning a median salary of $178,110 will take home approximately $125,843 per year after federal income tax ($32,284), state income tax ($6,946), and FICA ($13,035). That is $10,486 per month or $4,840 per bi-weekly paycheck.
The effective total tax rate for a Physicists in Iowa is 29.3%, broken down as: federal income tax 18.1%, Iowa state tax 3.9%, and FICA (Social Security + Medicare) 7.3%. This assumes a single filer with the standard deduction for 2024.
Iowa has a 3.9% flat rate. On a Physicists's median salary of $178,110, the state income tax amounts to $6,946 per year, which is an effective state rate of 3.9%.
After all taxes, a Physicists in Iowa takes home approximately $10,486 per month, or about $60.50 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 $178,110 for Physicists 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 — $125,843/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