Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
Median $19.70 an hour in Iowa · 10,560 jobs
Iowa · 2026 take-home pay
$20 an hour after taxes in Iowa
At $20 an hour in Iowa you keep about $16.67 of every hour — $667 a week, $2,890 a month or $34,677 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 $20 an hour goes
| A year | A week | An hour | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $41,600 | $800 | $20.00 |
| Federal income tax | −$2,812 | −$54 | −$1.35 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | −$2,579 | −$50 | −$1.24 |
| Medicare (1.45%+) | −$603 | −$12 | −$0.29 |
| Iowa income tax | −$929 | −$18 | −$0.45 |
| Take-home pay | $34,677 | $667 | $16.67 |
Effective tax rate 16.6% · federal bracket 12% · Iowa bracket 3.8%.
Take-home per paycheck
| Paid | Gross | Take-home |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly (52 paychecks) | $800.00 | $666.86 |
| Every two weeks (26) | $1,600.00 | $1,333.72 |
| Twice a month (24) | $1,733.33 | $1,444.86 |
| Monthly (12) | $3,466.67 | $2,889.72 |
$20 an hour at different hours
Take-home in Iowa for part-time, full-time and overtime weeks. Overtime is paid at 1.5 times $20 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* | $400 | $358 | $18,600 |
| 30 hours a week | $600 | $514 | $26,715 |
| 40 hours a week | $800 | $667 | $34,677 |
| 40 hours + 5 overtime | $950 | $782 | $40,648 |
| 40 hours + 10 overtime | $1,100 | $897 | $46,618 |
*If this is your only job. With a second job, withholding on each is likely too low unless you adjust your W-4.
Is $20 an hour good pay in Iowa?
- Minimum wage: $20 an hour is 2.8 times Iowa's minimum wage of $7.25 an hour.
- Among Iowa workers: It's about the 36th percentile of hourly pay in Iowa (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 36 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 $34,677 a year buys about what $39,512 would at national-average prices.
- Rent: the 30% rule points to about $1,040 a month. Check it with your debts.
- A 50/30/20 budget: about $1,445 a month for needs, $867 for wants and $578 for savings. Plan it in the budget calculator.
Jobs in Iowa that pay about $20 an hour
Occupations whose median wage in Iowa is within 4% of $20 an hour, most common first. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Light Truck Drivers
Median $20.56 an hour in Iowa · 9,680 jobs
Social and Human Service Assistants
Median $20.42 an hour in Iowa · 5,230 jobs
Food Processing Workers, All Other
Median $20.07 an hour in Iowa · 5,210 jobs
Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers
Median $20.76 an hour in Iowa · 3,970 jobs
Printing Press Operators
Median $19.61 an hour in Iowa · 2,070 jobs
How Iowa compares on $20 an hour
Iowa ranks 16th of 51 for take-home pay on $20 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 | $16.67 | $34,677 | $7.25 | — |
| Illinois | $16.20 | $33,691 | $15.00 | −$986 a year |
| Minnesota | $16.35 | $34,016 | $11.41 | −$661 a year |
| Missouri | $16.63 | $34,588 | $15.00 | −$89 a year |
| Nebraska | $16.63 | $34,592 | $15.00 | −$85 a year |
| South Dakota | $17.12 | $35,606 | $11.85 | +$929 a year |
| Wisconsin | $16.56 | $34,443 | $7.25 | −$234 a year |
How the federal tax on $41,600 ($20 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $41,600 minus the 2026 standard deduction ($16,100) = $25,500. Each slice is taxed at its own rate:
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $12,400 | $1,240 |
| 12% | $13,100 | $1,572 |
| Total | $25,500 | $2,812 |
How the Iowa income tax on $41,600 ($20 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $41,600 of Iowa wages minus $16,100 standard deduction = $25,500.
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 3.8% | $25,500 | $969 |
| Personal credits | — | −$40 |
| Total | $25,500 | $929 |
Common questions
How much is $20 an hour after taxes in Iowa?
About $16.67 for every hour you work, or $34,677 a year at 40 hours a week ($41,600 gross). Taxes take about 16.6% of your pay, for a single filer in 2026 with no pre-tax deductions.
How much is $20 an hour a week after taxes in Iowa?
About $667 a week at 40 hours, from $800 gross. Paid every two weeks, each paycheck is about $1,334.
How much is $20 an hour a month after taxes in Iowa?
About $2,890 a month at 40 hours a week, from $3,467 gross.
Is $20 an hour good pay in Iowa?
$20 an hour is 2.8 times Iowa's minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. It's about the 36th percentile of hourly pay in Iowa (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 36 in 100 workers earn less. The median hourly wage for all jobs in Iowa is $23.34. After taxes and local prices, $34,677 a year buys about what $39,512 would at national-average prices.
Is Iowa a high-tax state for $20 an hour?
It ranks 16th of 51 among the 50 states and D.C. for take-home on $20 an hour. The most you'd keep is $35,606 a year, in 8 places including Florida, North Dakota, New Hampshire; the least, $32,757 in Oregon.
More hourly rates
Other hourly rates in Iowa
- $16 an hour in Iowa
- $17 an hour in Iowa
- $18 an hour in Iowa
- $19 an hour in Iowa
- $21 an hour in Iowa
- $22 an hour in Iowa
- $23 an hour in Iowa
- $24 an hour in Iowa
$20 an hour in every state · $40,000 a year in Iowa · $45,000 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.