Iowa City, IA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does an auto mechanic make in Iowa City, IA?

In the Iowa City, IA metropolitan area, auto mechanics earned a median of $49,960 a year ($24.02 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 360 of these jobs there. That is about the same as the $50,060 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $36,470 and $77,400; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Iowa tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $41,076 in take-home pay.

Auto mechanic pay in Iowa City, IA at a glance

Median salary

$49,960$24.02 per hour · $4,163 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$36,470$17.53/hr
25th percentile$40,100$19.28/hr
75th percentile$68,030$32.71/hr
90th percentile$77,400$37.21/hr
Jobs in this metro360Location quotient 0.85 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs hereabout the same asAll-jobs median $50,060
Against Iowa1% belowStatewide median $50,510
Against the U.S.1% belowNational median $50,620

Run the numbers on your own pay

Same U.S. tax tables as the rest of the site. Change the salary, state, or filing status.

Auto mechanic salary in Iowa City, IA after taxes

$49,960
$15,000$100,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$49,960
Net 82%
Fed 8%
IA 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$41,076After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,423Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,580Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate17.8%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,815 / yr
Iowa state income tax$1,247 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,822 / yr

Auto mechanics pay range in Iowa City, IA, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Iowa City, IA metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What auto mechanics earned in the Iowa City, IA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (IA)
10th percentile$17.53/hr$3,039$36,470$30,750
25th percentile$19.28/hr$3,342$40,100$33,528
MedianMedian$24.02/hr$4,163$49,960$41,076
75th percentile$32.71/hr$5,669$68,030$54,756
90th percentile$37.21/hr$6,450$77,400$60,992

Is $49,960 a good salary in Iowa City, IA?

It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for auto mechanics next to both.

Median household income$75,088Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)91.58.5% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household66.5%of area median income

The same job statewide and nationally, and a calculator for your own paycheck.

Auto mechanic pay in Iowa City, IA: common questions

What is the median salary for auto mechanics in Iowa City, IA?

The BLS median annual wage for auto mechanics in the Iowa City, IA metro area was $49,960 in May 2025, about $4,163 a month or $24.02 an hour. Statewide, the Iowa median for this job is $50,510, so the metro pays 1% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for auto mechanics in Iowa City, IA?

The median hourly wage for auto mechanics in Iowa City, IA was $24.02 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $17.53 an hour and one in ten earned more than $37.21.

How many auto mechanics work in Iowa City, IA?

BLS estimated 360 jobs for auto mechanics in the metro in May 2025, or 3.8 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.85 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for auto mechanics in Iowa City, IA?

BLS wage estimates for auto mechanics in Iowa City, IA run from $36,470 at the 10th percentile to $40,100 at the 25th, $68,030 at the 75th, and $77,400 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do auto mechanics take home after taxes in Iowa City, IA?

On a median gross salary of $49,960, an estimated $41,076 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,580 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Iowa in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $8,884 (an effective rate of 17.8%).

How much do auto mechanics make per month in Iowa City, IA?

On the median annual salary of $49,960, gross monthly income is $4,163. After federal, FICA, and Iowa state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,423 per month (or $1,580 every two weeks).

Is $49,960 a good salary in Iowa City, IA?

At $49,960, the median salary for auto mechanics is 66.5% of the Iowa City, IA median household income ($75,088). It is about the same as the $50,060 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 91.5, so prices here run 8.5% below the U.S. average.