Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
How much does a Recreational Therapists 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 Recreational Therapists earning $56,140 in Iowa (single filer, standard deduction).
| Tax Component | Annual Amount | Effective Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary (Median) | $56,140 | — |
| Federal Income Tax | -$4,752 | 8.5% |
| Iowa State Income Tax | -$2,189 | 3.9% |
| Social Security (OASDI) | -$3,480 | 6.2% |
| Medicare | -$814 | 1.4% |
| Total Taxes | -$11,236 | 20.0% |
| Take-Home Pay | $44,903 | 80.0% |
Take-home pay varies significantly across experience levels. Here is the after-tax breakdown for each salary percentile of Recreational Therapists in Iowa.
| Percentile | Gross Salary | Total Taxes | Take-Home Pay | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $43,580 | -$8,279 | $35,300 | 19.0% |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $50,910 | -$10,005 | $40,904 | 19.7% |
| Median (P50) | $56,140 | -$11,236 | $44,903 | 20.0% |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $64,290 | -$13,410 | $50,879 | 20.9% |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $81,970 | -$19,341 | $62,628 | 23.6% |
After federal income tax ($4,752), state tax ($2,189), and FICA ($4,294), a Recreational Therapists in Iowa takes home $44,903 per year — or $3,741 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 Recreational Therapists in Iowa keeps $44,903 of $56,140 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 Recreational Therapists salary that contributes $2,189 to the 3.9% effective state-tax burden.
Federal tax on this Recreational Therapists salary is $4,753 (42%), but combined state ($2,189, 19%) + FICA ($4,295, 38%) make up the other 58% of the bill.
A Recreational Therapists earning this gross in a no-income-tax state (e.g., Texas, Florida) would take home approximately $47,092 — only $2,189 (4.9%) more than in Iowa.
Iowa ranks #29 of 48 states for Recreational Therapists 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, $44,903 net/year works out to $3,742/month or $1,727/bi-weekly for this Recreational Therapists in Iowa — the numbers that actually hit a checking account after every deduction.
Where does a Recreational Therapists keep the most of their paycheck? Top 10 states ranked by after-tax take-home pay.
Iowa ranks #29 out of 48 states for Recreational Therapists after-tax take-home pay.
A Recreational Therapists in Iowa earning a median salary of $56,140 will take home approximately $44,903 per year after federal income tax ($4,752), state income tax ($2,189), and FICA ($4,294). That is $3,741 per month or $1,727 per bi-weekly paycheck.
The effective total tax rate for a Recreational Therapists in Iowa is 20.0%, broken down as: federal income tax 8.5%, 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 Recreational Therapists's median salary of $56,140, the state income tax amounts to $2,189 per year, which is an effective state rate of 3.9%.
After all taxes, a Recreational Therapists in Iowa takes home approximately $3,741 per month, or about $21.59 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 $56,140 for Recreational Therapists 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 — $44,903/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