$38.50 an hour after taxes in Iowa
$38.50 an hour is $80,080 a year before tax at 40 hours a week. After 2026 federal, FICA and Iowa taxes:
You keep
$62,775
a year after taxes
- Every two weeks
- $2,414
- A month
- $5,231
- Effective tax rate
- 21.6%
IA A flat 3.8% income tax
| Line | Every two weeks | Year |
|---|---|---|
GROSS Gross pay |
$3,080.00 | $80,080.00 |
FED Federal income tax |
-$337.98 | -$8,787.60 |
OASDI Social Security tax |
-$190.96 | -$4,964.96 |
MED Medicare tax |
-$44.66 | -$1,161.16 |
ST Iowa income tax |
-$91.97 | -$2,391.24 |
NET Take-home pay | $2,414.42 | $62,775.04 |
$38.50 an hour per paycheck, month and day in Iowa
| Period | Gross | Taxes | Take-home |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | $80,080 | -$17,305 | $62,775 |
| Month | $6,673 | -$1,442 | $5,231 |
| Every two weeks | $3,080 | -$666 | $2,414 |
| Week | $1,540 | -$333 | $1,207 |
| Day | $308 | -$67 | $241 |
Biweekly means 26 paychecks a year. A day is one of 260 working days (five a week). "Taxes and deductions" includes every line on the stub above.
If you work more or fewer hours
| Hours a week | Yearly gross | Yearly take-home |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | $40,040 | $33,482 |
| 25 | $50,050 | $41,145 |
| 30 | $60,060 | $48,808 |
| 35 | $70,070 | $56,113 |
| 40 | $80,080 | $62,775 |
| 45 (5 overtime) | $95,095 | $73,869 |
| 50 (10 overtime) | $110,110 | $84,962 |
From 2026, federal income tax exempts the overtime premium (the extra half of time-and-a-half) up to $12,500 a year for single filers. Social Security, Medicare and Iowa tax still apply to it in this estimate.
What $38.50 an hour affords in Iowa
- Rent at 30% of gross pay
- $2,002 a month
- Needs (50% of take-home)
- $2,616 a month
- Wants (30%)
- $1,569 a month
- Savings and debt (20%)
- $1,046 a month
The 30% rule is the benchmark HUD uses for housing cost burden. The 50/30/20 split applies to the $5,231 monthly take-home figure above.
How Iowa compares
Iowa taxes wages at a flat 3.8%. On $38.50 an hour ($80,080 a year) the state takes $2,391 in income tax (3% of gross), the 15th lowest of 51 jurisdictions.
| State | State taxes | Take-home a year |
|---|---|---|
| Iowa | $2,391 | $62,775 |
| Illinois | $3,819 | $61,347 |
| Minnesota | $4,278 | $60,889 |
| Missouri | $2,764 | $62,402 |
| Nebraska | $2,764 | $62,402 |
| South Dakota | $0 | $65,166 |
| Wisconsin | $3,245 | $61,921 |
Questions people ask about $38.50 an hour in Iowa
How much is $38.50 an hour a year after taxes in Iowa?
Working 40 hours a week for 52 weeks, $38.50 an hour is $80,080 before tax. After $8,788 federal income tax, $6,126 Social Security and Medicare, and $2,391 in Iowa state taxes, you take home $62,775 a year as a single filer in 2026.
How much is $38.50 an hour biweekly after taxes in Iowa?
$38.50 an hour is $3,080 gross every two weeks. After taxes a biweekly paycheck comes to about $2,414.
$38.50 an hour is how much a month?
$38.50 an hour is $6,673 a month before tax and about $5,231 after tax in Iowa, averaged over 12 months.
How much rent can I afford on $38.50 an hour?
The 30% rule puts rent at $2,002 a month on $6,673 gross. Budgeting from take-home pay with 50/30/20, all needs including rent get $2,616.
How much is $38.50 an hour with overtime in Iowa?
At 50 hours a week (10 hours at $57.75), you earn $110,110 a year and keep $84,962. The 2026 federal overtime deduction takes $10,010 of overtime premium out of federal taxable income; Social Security and Medicare still apply.
How much Iowa state tax comes out of $38.50 an hour?
$2,391 a year, or $92 per biweekly paycheck, in Iowa income tax. Local income taxes, where they exist, are not included.
Try your own numbers
Sources and assumptions
Tax year 2026. Annual tax for a filer with no dependents, no other income and no credits, working 52 weeks. Hours over 40 a week are paid at 1.5×. Local income taxes are not included: Iowa school districts levy an income surtax computed as a % of state tax (excluded). How we calculate.
- IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32: federal brackets and standard deduction (retrieved 2026-09-26)
- Social Security Administration: 2026 wage base; IRS: Medicare and Additional Medicare Tax
- Iowa tax source (retrieved 2026-09-26)