Lawyer Salary in Iowa (2026)
The average Lawyer in Iowa earns around $165,000/year. After taxes, your estimated take-home is $118,385/year ($9,865/month).
Take-Home Pay Breakdown
| Category | Amount |
|---|---|
Annual Take-Home Pay | $118,385 |
Monthly Take-Home Pay | $9,865 |
Biweekly Take-Home Pay | $4,553 |
Hourly Take-Home Pay based on 2,080 hrs/year | $57/hr |
Federal Tax | $28,334 |
State Tax | $5,658 |
FICA Taxes | $12,623 |
Effective Tax Rate total taxes ÷ gross salary | 28.25% |
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Lawyer Salary Ranges in Iowa
Not all Lawyers earn the same — not even close
Iowa's legal market is anchored by Nyemaster Goode SLC Des Moines (largest IA-HQ law firm ~110+ attorneys + founded 1921 + the substantial Nyemaster Goode litigation + corporate + agricultural law), Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath (Indianapolis-HQ AmLaw 200 + the substantial Faegre Des Moines + Cedar Rapids offices), Belin McCormick Des Moines + Brown Winick Des Moines + Davis Brown Des Moines + Whitfield & Eddy Des Moines (substantial IA mid-size practices), Shuttleworth & Ingersoll Cedar Rapids + Simmons Perrine Moyer Bergman Cedar Rapids + Bradley & Riley Cedar Rapids (substantial Eastern IA), the substantial IA agriculture law specialty (Hertz Farm Management + the substantial IA farmer estate planning + the substantial post-2025 IA inheritance tax repeal estate planning impact + the substantial IA family farm transfer), University of Iowa College of Law + Drake University Law School, plus IRS Des Moines + IA Attorney General + IPERS Iowa Public Employees Retirement System.
Partner (Nyemaster / Faegre Drinker Des Moines)
$385,000–$985,000+ profit share
IA-HQ + Faegre Des Moines partner · largest IA practices + AmLaw 200
Partner (Belin / Brown Winick / Davis Brown)
$285,000–$685,000+ profit share
IA mid-size law firm partner · Des Moines commercial + litigation
Counsel / Senior Associate (Big Law / AmLaw)
$185,000–$385,000+ bonus
Counsel + senior associate at AmLaw + IA top firms · 7-10 year band
Senior In-House Counsel (Principal / John Deere)
$185,000–$365,000+ TC
Principal Financial + John Deere + Pioneer + Athene + UnityPoint in-house GC
Senior In-House Counsel (Hy-Vee / Casey / Vermeer)
$165,000–$295,000+ TC
Hy-Vee + Casey + Vermeer + Pella + HNI + Winnebago · private corp in-house
Senior IA Agriculture Lawyer
$175,000–$345,000+ bonus
IA farm estate planning + family farm transfer + post-2025 inheritance tax repeal
AUSA / DOJ Federal Prosecutor
$135,000–$215,000
US Attorney Southern + Northern District of IA · GS-14/15 federal
Senior Public Defender / DA
$85,000–$135,000
IA County prosecutor + Public Defender · Polk + Linn + Scott + Black Hawk County
Mid-Level Associate (3-6 yrs)
$108,000–$165,000+ bonus
Mid-level at IA firms · transitioning to senior band
Junior Associate (0-3 yrs)
$82,000–$125,000+ bonus
UI Law + Drake Law + post-clerkship pipeline · entry IA band
Worth knowing: Iowa agriculture law specialty + post-2025 IA inheritance tax repeal estate planning impact is one of the country's distinctive concentrated US single-state ag-law + farm estate planning anchor and a feature most national legal surveys understate for IA. The substantial Iowa agriculture law specialty (the substantial IA family farm transfer + the substantial Hertz Farm Management + the substantial IA farmer estate planning + the substantial IA #1 US corn + #1 US soybean + #1 US ethanol + #1 US pork producer farm legal work + the substantial post-2025 IA inheritance tax repeal effective January 1 2025 ending the IA inheritance tax phased reduction with estate planning impact for IA family farm + business succession + the substantial IA agriculture corporate + farm partnership + the substantial IA Farm Bureau + Iowa Farmers Union + the substantial IA agricultural cooperative law) supports distinctive IA ag-law practice. Senior IA ag lawyers clear $175-345K+ bonus. Nyemaster Goode SLC Des Moines (largest IA-HQ law firm ~110+ attorneys + founded 1921 + the substantial Nyemaster Goode litigation + corporate + tax + estate + ag law + the substantial Nyemaster Goode Cedar Rapids + Ames + Iowa City + Sioux City multi-office) supports substantial IA legal. Senior Nyemaster + Faegre Des Moines partners clear $385K-$985K+ profit share. Faegre Drinker + Belin McCormick + Brown Winick + Davis Brown + Whitfield & Eddy + Shuttleworth & Ingersoll Cedar Rapids + Simmons Perrine Moyer Bergman + UI Law + Drake Law supply IA legal. IA flat 3.8% + IA RTW since 1947 + IA inheritance tax repealed Jan 1 2025 + IA property tax ~1.50% anchor the IA legal proposition.
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More on Iowa
Salaries by profession, top-paying roles by industry, and an economic breakdown for Iowa in 2026.
Tax brackets, standard deductions, and take-home estimates for Iowa in 2026.
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