Retail Salespersons
Median $15.08 an hour in Iowa · 41,000 jobs
Iowa · 2026 take-home pay
$15 an hour after taxes in Iowa
At $15 an hour in Iowa you keep about $12.84 of every hour — $514 a week, $2,226 a month or $26,715 a year full time — after 2026 federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Iowa income tax. Iowa has a flat 3.8% income tax, and its minimum wage is $7.25 an hour.
Where $15 an hour goes
| A year | A week | An hour | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $31,200 | $600 | $15.00 |
| Federal income tax | −$1,564 | −$30 | −$0.75 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | −$1,934 | −$37 | −$0.93 |
| Medicare (1.45%+) | −$452 | −$9 | −$0.22 |
| Iowa income tax | −$534 | −$10 | −$0.26 |
| Take-home pay | $26,715 | $514 | $12.84 |
Effective tax rate 14.4% · federal bracket 12% · Iowa bracket 3.8%.
Take-home per paycheck
| Paid | Gross | Take-home |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly (52 paychecks) | $600.00 | $513.76 |
| Every two weeks (26) | $1,200.00 | $1,027.52 |
| Twice a month (24) | $1,300.00 | $1,113.14 |
| Monthly (12) | $2,600.00 | $2,226.28 |
$15 an hour at different hours
Take-home in Iowa for part-time, full-time and overtime weeks. Overtime is paid at 1.5 times $15 an hour for hours over 40, as federal law requires for most hourly workers.
| Schedule | Gross a week | Take-home a week | Take-home a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 hours a week* | $300 | $277 | $14,407 |
| 30 hours a week | $450 | $397 | $20,643 |
| 40 hours a week | $600 | $514 | $26,715 |
| 40 hours + 5 overtime | $713 | $600 | $31,194 |
| 40 hours + 10 overtime | $825 | $686 | $35,672 |
*If this is your only job. With a second job, withholding on each is likely too low unless you adjust your W-4.
Is $15 an hour good pay in Iowa?
- Minimum wage: $15 an hour is 2.1 times Iowa's minimum wage of $7.25 an hour.
- Among Iowa workers: It's about the 14th percentile of hourly pay in Iowa (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 14 in 100 workers earn less. The median is $23.34 an hour.
- Local prices: Iowa's price level is 87.8% of the U.S. average (BEA Regional Price Parities), so $26,715 a year buys about what $30,441 would at national-average prices.
- Rent: the 30% rule points to about $780 a month. Check it with your debts.
- A 50/30/20 budget: about $1,113 a month for needs, $668 for wants and $445 for savings. Plan it in the budget calculator.
Jobs in Iowa that pay about $15 an hour
Occupations whose median wage in Iowa is within 4% of $15 an hour, most common first. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Food Servers, Nonrestaurant
Median $14.48 an hour in Iowa · 5,270 jobs
Food Preparation Workers
Median $14.60 an hour in Iowa · 4,170 jobs
Animal Caretakers
Median $14.46 an hour in Iowa · 3,480 jobs
Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks
Median $14.71 an hour in Iowa · 2,790 jobs
Parking Attendants
Median $14.46 an hour in Iowa · 1,050 jobs
How Iowa compares on $15 an hour
Iowa ranks 17th of 51 for take-home pay on $15 an hour (1st = keeps the most). Here it is next to its neighbors.
| State | After tax, per hour | A year | Minimum wage | vs Iowa |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa | $12.84 | $26,715 | $7.25 | — |
| Illinois | $12.43 | $25,850 | $15.00 | −$865 a year |
| Minnesota | $12.63 | $26,261 | $11.41 | −$454 a year |
| Missouri | $12.85 | $26,720 | $15.00 | +$5 a year |
| Nebraska | $12.83 | $26,684 | $15.00 | −$31 a year |
| South Dakota | $13.10 | $27,249 | $11.85 | +$534 a year |
| Wisconsin | $12.79 | $26,599 | $7.25 | −$116 a year |
How the federal tax on $31,200 ($15 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $31,200 minus the 2026 standard deduction ($16,100) = $15,100. Each slice is taxed at its own rate:
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $12,400 | $1,240 |
| 12% | $2,700 | $324 |
| Total | $15,100 | $1,564 |
How the Iowa income tax on $31,200 ($15 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $31,200 of Iowa wages minus $16,100 standard deduction = $15,100.
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 3.8% | $15,100 | $574 |
| Personal credits | — | −$40 |
| Total | $15,100 | $534 |
Common questions
How much is $15 an hour after taxes in Iowa?
About $12.84 for every hour you work, or $26,715 a year at 40 hours a week ($31,200 gross). Taxes take about 14.4% of your pay, for a single filer in 2026 with no pre-tax deductions.
How much is $15 an hour a week after taxes in Iowa?
About $514 a week at 40 hours, from $600 gross. Paid every two weeks, each paycheck is about $1,028.
How much is $15 an hour a month after taxes in Iowa?
About $2,226 a month at 40 hours a week, from $2,600 gross.
Is $15 an hour good pay in Iowa?
$15 an hour is 2.1 times Iowa's minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. It's about the 14th percentile of hourly pay in Iowa (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 14 in 100 workers earn less. The median hourly wage for all jobs in Iowa is $23.34. After taxes and local prices, $26,715 a year buys about what $30,441 would at national-average prices.
Is Iowa a high-tax state for $15 an hour?
It ranks 17th of 51 among the 50 states and D.C. for take-home on $15 an hour. The most you'd keep is $27,249 a year, in 8 places including Florida, North Dakota, New Hampshire; the least, $25,274 in Oregon.
More hourly rates
Sources and method
Our 2026 engine applies IRS Publication 15-T withholding, Social Security and Medicare, Iowa's income tax rules (methodology). Local income taxes are not included. Minimum wages: U.S. Department of Labor. Wage distribution and jobs: BLS OEWS May 2025. Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities.
- Publication 15-T (2026), Federal Income Tax Withholding Methods — Internal Revenue Service. Accessed October 14, 2026.
- State Minimum Wage Laws — U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division. Accessed October 14, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accessed October 14, 2026.
- Regional Price Parities by State — U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Accessed October 14, 2026.