Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
How much does a Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers actually take home in Iowa?
3.9% flat rate — 18.0% effective total tax rateData: BLS OEWS 2025 + IRS/State Tax Brackets 2024 • Updated 2026-05-19
Detailed line-by-line tax calculation for a Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers earning $35,720 in Iowa (single filer, standard deduction).
| Tax Component | Annual Amount | Effective Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary (Median) | $35,720 | — |
| Federal Income Tax | -$2,302 | 6.4% |
| Iowa State Income Tax | -$1,393 | 3.9% |
| Social Security (OASDI) | -$2,214 | 6.2% |
| Medicare | -$517 | 1.5% |
| Total Taxes | -$6,428 | 18.0% |
| Take-Home Pay | $29,291 | 82.0% |
Take-home pay varies significantly across experience levels. Here is the after-tax breakdown for each salary percentile of Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers in Iowa.
| Percentile | Gross Salary | Total Taxes | Take-Home Pay | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $29,440 | -$4,949 | $24,490 | 16.8% |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $30,590 | -$5,219 | $25,370 | 17.1% |
| Median (P50) | $35,720 | -$6,428 | $29,291 | 18.0% |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $39,020 | -$7,205 | $31,814 | 18.5% |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $47,220 | -$9,136 | $38,083 | 19.3% |
After federal income tax ($2,302), state tax ($1,393), and FICA ($2,732), a Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers in Iowa takes home $29,291 per year — or $2,441 per month. The effective tax rate of 18.0% is relatively low compared to the national range.
A Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers in Iowa faces an effective total tax rate of only 18.0%, keeping 82.0% of every gross dollar. That leaves $29,292 net out of $35,720 gross — a favorable outcome compared to states with combined rates above 30%.
Iowa applies a flat state income tax — every dollar of wage income is taxed at the same rate. For this Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers salary that contributes $1,393 to the 3.9% effective state-tax burden.
Federal tax on this Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers salary is $2,302 (36%), but combined state ($1,393, 22%) + FICA ($2,733, 43%) make up the other 64% of the bill.
A Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers earning this gross in a no-income-tax state (e.g., Texas, Florida) would take home approximately $30,685 — only $1,393 (4.8%) more than in Iowa.
Iowa sits near the bottom (#42 of 51) for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers after-tax earnings. Relocation, negotiation, or credential stacking typically show the clearest ROI in bottom-quartile states.
Translated into paycheck cadences, $29,292 net/year works out to $2,441/month or $1,127/bi-weekly for this Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers in Iowa — the numbers that actually hit a checking account after every deduction.
Where does a Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers keep the most of their paycheck? Top 10 states ranked by after-tax take-home pay.
Iowa ranks #42 out of 51 states for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers after-tax take-home pay.
A Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers in Iowa earning a median salary of $35,720 will take home approximately $29,291 per year after federal income tax ($2,302), state income tax ($1,393), and FICA ($2,732). That is $2,441 per month or $1,126 per bi-weekly paycheck.
The effective total tax rate for a Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers in Iowa is 18.0%, broken down as: federal income tax 6.4%, 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 Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers's median salary of $35,720, the state income tax amounts to $1,393 per year, which is an effective state rate of 3.9%.
After all taxes, a Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers in Iowa takes home approximately $2,441 per month, or about $14.08 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 $35,720 for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers 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 — $29,291/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