Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
How much does a Technical Writers actually take home in Iowa?
3.9% flat rate — 21.3% effective total tax rateData: BLS OEWS 2025 + IRS/State Tax Brackets 2024 • Updated 2026-05-19
Detailed line-by-line tax calculation for a Technical Writers earning $66,520 in Iowa (single filer, standard deduction).
| Tax Component | Annual Amount | Effective Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary (Median) | $66,520 | — |
| Federal Income Tax | -$6,475 | 9.7% |
| Iowa State Income Tax | -$2,594 | 3.9% |
| Social Security (OASDI) | -$4,124 | 6.2% |
| Medicare | -$964 | 1.4% |
| Total Taxes | -$14,158 | 21.3% |
| Take-Home Pay | $52,361 | 78.7% |
Take-home pay varies significantly across experience levels. Here is the after-tax breakdown for each salary percentile of Technical Writers in Iowa.
| Percentile | Gross Salary | Total Taxes | Take-Home Pay | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $52,750 | -$10,438 | $42,311 | 19.8% |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $57,660 | -$11,594 | $46,065 | 20.1% |
| Median (P50) | $66,520 | -$14,158 | $52,361 | 21.3% |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $83,760 | -$19,942 | $63,817 | 23.8% |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $98,970 | -$25,045 | $73,924 | 25.3% |
After federal income tax ($6,475), state tax ($2,594), and FICA ($5,088), a Technical Writers in Iowa takes home $52,361 per year — or $4,363 per month. The effective tax rate of 21.3% is relatively low compared to the national range.
With an effective total rate of 21.3%, a Technical Writers in Iowa keeps $52,362 of $66,520 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 Technical Writers salary that contributes $2,594 to the 3.9% effective state-tax burden.
Federal tax on this Technical Writers salary is $6,475 (46%), but combined state ($2,594, 18%) + FICA ($5,089, 36%) make up the other 54% of the bill.
Moving this same Technical Writers salary to a zero-state-tax state would yield around $54,956 net — a gain of $2,594 (5.0%) per year versus Iowa.
Iowa sits near the bottom (#42 of 45) for Technical Writers after-tax earnings. Relocation, negotiation, or credential stacking typically show the clearest ROI in bottom-quartile states.
Translated into paycheck cadences, $52,362 net/year works out to $4,363/month or $2,014/bi-weekly for this Technical Writers in Iowa — the numbers that actually hit a checking account after every deduction.
Where does a Technical Writers keep the most of their paycheck? Top 10 states ranked by after-tax take-home pay.
Iowa ranks #42 out of 45 states for Technical Writers after-tax take-home pay.
A Technical Writers in Iowa earning a median salary of $66,520 will take home approximately $52,361 per year after federal income tax ($6,475), state income tax ($2,594), and FICA ($5,088). That is $4,363 per month or $2,013 per bi-weekly paycheck.
The effective total tax rate for a Technical Writers in Iowa is 21.3%, broken down as: federal income tax 9.7%, 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 Technical Writers's median salary of $66,520, the state income tax amounts to $2,594 per year, which is an effective state rate of 3.9%.
After all taxes, a Technical Writers in Iowa takes home approximately $4,363 per month, or about $25.17 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 $66,520 for Technical Writers 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 — $52,361/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