Stockers and Order Fillers
Median $17.62 an hour in Iowa · 26,770 jobs
Iowa · 2026 take-home pay
$18 an hour after taxes in Iowa
At $18 an hour in Iowa you keep about $15.14 of every hour — $606 a week, $2,624 a month or $31,492 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 $18 an hour goes
| A year | A week | An hour | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $37,440 | $720 | $18.00 |
| Federal income tax | −$2,313 | −$44 | −$1.11 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | −$2,321 | −$45 | −$1.12 |
| Medicare (1.45%+) | −$543 | −$10 | −$0.26 |
| Iowa income tax | −$771 | −$15 | −$0.37 |
| Take-home pay | $31,492 | $606 | $15.14 |
Effective tax rate 15.9% · federal bracket 12% · Iowa bracket 3.8%.
Take-home per paycheck
| Paid | Gross | Take-home |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly (52 paychecks) | $720.00 | $605.62 |
| Every two weeks (26) | $1,440.00 | $1,211.24 |
| Twice a month (24) | $1,560.00 | $1,312.17 |
| Monthly (12) | $3,120.00 | $2,624.34 |
$18 an hour at different hours
Take-home in Iowa for part-time, full-time and overtime weeks. Overtime is paid at 1.5 times $18 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* | $360 | $326 | $16,966 |
| 30 hours a week | $540 | $468 | $24,319 |
| 40 hours a week | $720 | $606 | $31,492 |
| 40 hours + 5 overtime | $855 | $709 | $36,866 |
| 40 hours + 10 overtime | $990 | $812 | $42,240 |
*If this is your only job. With a second job, withholding on each is likely too low unless you adjust your W-4.
Is $18 an hour good pay in Iowa?
- Minimum wage: $18 an hour is 2.5 times Iowa's minimum wage of $7.25 an hour.
- Among Iowa workers: It's about the 27th percentile of hourly pay in Iowa (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 27 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 $31,492 a year buys about what $35,884 would at national-average prices.
- Rent: the 30% rule points to about $936 a month. Check it with your debts.
- A 50/30/20 budget: about $1,312 a month for needs, $787 for wants and $525 for savings. Plan it in the budget calculator.
Jobs in Iowa that pay about $18 an hour
Occupations whose median wage in Iowa is within 4% of $18 an hour, most common first. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Home Health and Personal Care Aides
Median $17.34 an hour in Iowa · 25,800 jobs
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers
Median $18.64 an hour in Iowa · 11,400 jobs
Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers
Median $18.71 an hour in Iowa · 8,800 jobs
Substitute Teachers, Short-Term
Median $17.90 an hour in Iowa · 7,300 jobs
Security Guards
Median $17.83 an hour in Iowa · 6,890 jobs
How Iowa compares on $18 an hour
Iowa ranks 17th of 51 for take-home pay on $18 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 | $15.14 | $31,492 | $7.25 | — |
| Illinois | $14.69 | $30,555 | $15.00 | −$937 a year |
| Minnesota | $14.86 | $30,914 | $11.41 | −$578 a year |
| Missouri | $15.12 | $31,441 | $15.00 | −$51 a year |
| Nebraska | $15.11 | $31,439 | $15.00 | −$53 a year |
| South Dakota | $15.51 | $32,263 | $11.85 | +$771 a year |
| Wisconsin | $15.05 | $31,305 | $7.25 | −$187 a year |
How the federal tax on $37,440 ($18 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $37,440 minus the 2026 standard deduction ($16,100) = $21,340. Each slice is taxed at its own rate:
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $12,400 | $1,240 |
| 12% | $8,940 | $1,073 |
| Total | $21,340 | $2,313 |
How the Iowa income tax on $37,440 ($18 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $37,440 of Iowa wages minus $16,100 standard deduction = $21,340.
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 3.8% | $21,340 | $811 |
| Personal credits | — | −$40 |
| Total | $21,340 | $771 |
Common questions
How much is $18 an hour after taxes in Iowa?
About $15.14 for every hour you work, or $31,492 a year at 40 hours a week ($37,440 gross). Taxes take about 15.9% of your pay, for a single filer in 2026 with no pre-tax deductions.
How much is $18 an hour a week after taxes in Iowa?
About $606 a week at 40 hours, from $720 gross. Paid every two weeks, each paycheck is about $1,211.
How much is $18 an hour a month after taxes in Iowa?
About $2,624 a month at 40 hours a week, from $3,120 gross.
Is $18 an hour good pay in Iowa?
$18 an hour is 2.5 times Iowa's minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. It's about the 27th percentile of hourly pay in Iowa (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 27 in 100 workers earn less. The median hourly wage for all jobs in Iowa is $23.34. After taxes and local prices, $31,492 a year buys about what $35,884 would at national-average prices.
Is Iowa a high-tax state for $18 an hour?
It ranks 17th of 51 among the 50 states and D.C. for take-home on $18 an hour. The most you'd keep is $32,263 a year, in 8 places including Florida, North Dakota, New Hampshire; the least, $29,764 in Oregon.
More hourly rates
Other hourly rates in Iowa
- $14 an hour in Iowa
- $15 an hour in Iowa
- $16 an hour in Iowa
- $17 an hour in Iowa
- $19 an hour in Iowa
- $20 an hour in Iowa
- $21 an hour in Iowa
- $22 an hour in Iowa
$18 an hour in every state · $35,000 a year in Iowa · $40,000 a year in Iowa · Iowa paycheck calculator · All pay conversions
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.