Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners
Median $15.68 an hour in Iowa · 8,160 jobs
Iowa · 2026 take-home pay
$16 an hour after taxes in Iowa
At $16 an hour in Iowa you keep about $13.61 of every hour — $544 a week, $2,359 a month or $28,308 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 $16 an hour goes
| A year | A week | An hour | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $33,280 | $640 | $16.00 |
| Federal income tax | −$1,814 | −$35 | −$0.87 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | −$2,063 | −$40 | −$0.99 |
| Medicare (1.45%+) | −$483 | −$9 | −$0.23 |
| Iowa income tax | −$613 | −$12 | −$0.29 |
| Take-home pay | $28,308 | $544 | $13.61 |
Effective tax rate 14.9% · federal bracket 12% · Iowa bracket 3.8%.
Take-home per paycheck
| Paid | Gross | Take-home |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly (52 paychecks) | $640.00 | $544.38 |
| Every two weeks (26) | $1,280.00 | $1,088.76 |
| Twice a month (24) | $1,386.67 | $1,179.49 |
| Monthly (12) | $2,773.33 | $2,358.97 |
$16 an hour at different hours
Take-home in Iowa for part-time, full-time and overtime weeks. Overtime is paid at 1.5 times $16 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* | $320 | $294 | $15,313 |
| 30 hours a week | $480 | $421 | $21,868 |
| 40 hours a week | $640 | $544 | $28,308 |
| 40 hours + 5 overtime | $760 | $636 | $33,084 |
| 40 hours + 10 overtime | $880 | $728 | $37,861 |
*If this is your only job. With a second job, withholding on each is likely too low unless you adjust your W-4.
Is $16 an hour good pay in Iowa?
- Minimum wage: $16 an hour is 2.2 times Iowa's minimum wage of $7.25 an hour.
- Among Iowa workers: It's about the 19th percentile of hourly pay in Iowa (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 19 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 $28,308 a year buys about what $32,255 would at national-average prices.
- Rent: the 30% rule points to about $832 a month. Check it with your debts.
- A 50/30/20 budget: about $1,179 a month for needs, $708 for wants and $472 for savings. Plan it in the budget calculator.
Jobs in Iowa that pay about $16 an hour
Occupations whose median wage in Iowa is within 4% of $16 an hour, most common first. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education
Median $16.26 an hour in Iowa · 5,910 jobs
Recreation Workers
Median $16.20 an hour in Iowa · 2,870 jobs
Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers
Median $16.37 an hour in Iowa · 1,900 jobs
Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs
Median $15.66 an hour in Iowa · 1,880 jobs
Cooks, Short Order
Median $16.39 an hour in Iowa · 1,160 jobs
How Iowa compares on $16 an hour
Iowa ranks 17th of 51 for take-home pay on $16 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 | $13.61 | $28,308 | $7.25 | — |
| Illinois | $13.18 | $27,418 | $15.00 | −$890 a year |
| Minnesota | $13.37 | $27,812 | $11.41 | −$496 a year |
| Missouri | $13.60 | $28,294 | $15.00 | −$14 a year |
| Nebraska | $13.60 | $28,282 | $15.00 | −$26 a year |
| South Dakota | $13.90 | $28,920 | $11.85 | +$612 a year |
| Wisconsin | $13.54 | $28,168 | $7.25 | −$140 a year |
How the federal tax on $33,280 ($16 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $33,280 minus the 2026 standard deduction ($16,100) = $17,180. Each slice is taxed at its own rate:
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $12,400 | $1,240 |
| 12% | $4,780 | $574 |
| Total | $17,180 | $1,814 |
How the Iowa income tax on $33,280 ($16 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $33,280 of Iowa wages minus $16,100 standard deduction = $17,180.
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 3.8% | $17,180 | $653 |
| Personal credits | — | −$40 |
| Total | $17,180 | $613 |
Common questions
How much is $16 an hour after taxes in Iowa?
About $13.61 for every hour you work, or $28,308 a year at 40 hours a week ($33,280 gross). Taxes take about 14.9% of your pay, for a single filer in 2026 with no pre-tax deductions.
How much is $16 an hour a week after taxes in Iowa?
About $544 a week at 40 hours, from $640 gross. Paid every two weeks, each paycheck is about $1,089.
How much is $16 an hour a month after taxes in Iowa?
About $2,359 a month at 40 hours a week, from $2,773 gross.
Is $16 an hour good pay in Iowa?
$16 an hour is 2.2 times Iowa's minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. It's about the 19th percentile of hourly pay in Iowa (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 19 in 100 workers earn less. The median hourly wage for all jobs in Iowa is $23.34. After taxes and local prices, $28,308 a year buys about what $32,255 would at national-average prices.
Is Iowa a high-tax state for $16 an hour?
It ranks 17th of 51 among the 50 states and D.C. for take-home on $16 an hour. The most you'd keep is $28,920 a year, in 8 places including Florida, North Dakota, New Hampshire; the least, $26,771 in Oregon.
More hourly rates
Other hourly rates in Iowa
- $12 an hour in Iowa
- $13 an hour in Iowa
- $14 an hour in Iowa
- $15 an hour in Iowa
- $17 an hour in Iowa
- $18 an hour in Iowa
- $19 an hour in Iowa
- $20 an hour in Iowa
$16 an hour in every state · $30,000 a year in Iowa · $35,000 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.