Civil Engineer vs Lawyer Salary After Tax (2026)

Side-by-side take-home pay comparison across all 50 states. Single filer, standard deduction, 2026 tax rates.

Civil Engineer

$99,590

national median wage

$78,892/yr

take-home in TX (no state tax)

Lawyer earns $51,570 more nationally

Civil Engineer leads in 2 states · Lawyer leads in 49 states

Lawyer

$151,160

national median wage

$114,584/yr

take-home in TX (no state tax)

Take-Home Pay by State — All 50 States

Sorted by largest difference. Positive difference = Civil Engineer earns more after tax.

State	Civil Engineer	Lawyer	Difference
DCWashington D.C.	$74,991	$129,532	-$54,542	A·B
CACalifornia	$85,235	$132,976	-$47,741	A·B
MAMassachusetts	$77,308	$124,914	-$47,606	A·B
NYNew York	$75,893	$122,974	-$47,081	A·B
DEDelaware	$73,704	$119,153	-$45,449	A·B
COColorado	$75,218	$119,391	-$44,173	A·B
VAVirginia	$71,796	$110,976	-$39,180	A·B
ILIllinois	$72,831	$111,152	-$38,320	A·B
NVNevada	$78,258	$114,584	-$36,325	A·B
CTConnecticut	$75,588	$111,802	-$36,214	A·B
NJNew Jersey	$77,361	$111,676	-$34,315	A·B
WAWashington	$82,761	$115,124	-$32,363	A·B
GAGeorgia	$62,252	$91,622	-$29,370	A·B
MDMaryland	$75,004	$102,767	-$27,764	A·B
MIMichigan	$65,629	$92,667	-$27,038	A·B
TXTexas	$75,698	$102,561	-$26,863	A·B
AZArizona	$72,672	$99,486	-$26,814	A·B
PAPennsylvania	$71,037	$94,785	-$23,748	A·B
INIndiana	$72,890	$96,394	-$23,504	A·B
OROregon	$72,917	$96,054	-$23,137	A·B
TNTennessee	$77,583	$100,511	-$22,928	A·B
MNMinnesota	$74,819	$97,420	-$22,601	A·B
UTUtah	$69,455	$91,575	-$22,120	A·B
OHOhio	$72,805	$94,344	-$21,539	A·B
NHNew Hampshire	$73,566	$95,090	-$21,524	A·B
FLFlorida	$77,639	$98,624	-$20,985	A·B
NCNorth Carolina	$71,445	$92,147	-$20,702	A·B
MOMissouri	$70,835	$91,263	-$20,428	A·B
ALAlabama	$73,203	$92,404	-$19,200	A·B
WIWisconsin	$69,256	$88,251	-$18,995	A·B
AKAlaska	$84,273	$101,973	-$17,700	A·B
KSKansas	$65,837	$82,172	-$16,335	A·B
HIHawaii	$69,954	$83,156	-$13,203	A·B
MTMontana	$62,203	$75,376	-$13,173	A·B
RIRhode Island	$84,068	$94,861	-$10,793	A·B
VTVermont	$65,937	$75,735	-$9,798	A·B
WVWest Virginia	$67,466	$76,666	-$9,200	A·B
IAIowa	$72,332	$81,229	-$8,898	A·B
MSMississippi	$78,126	$70,609	+$7,517	A·B
LALouisiana	$78,149	$85,052	-$6,903	A·B
NDNorth Dakota	$75,863	$81,868	-$6,006	A·B
NMNew Mexico	$78,622	$83,792	-$5,171	A·B
IDIdaho	$71,474	$76,216	-$4,742	A·B
NENebraska	$74,920	$78,612	-$3,691	A·B
MEMaine	$70,290	$73,741	-$3,451	A·B
ARArkansas	$63,456	$66,805	-$3,349	A·B
WYWyoming	$76,225	$79,300	-$3,074	A·B
SCSouth Carolina	$74,131	$77,014	-$2,883	A·B
KYKentucky	$75,931	$77,582	-$1,651	A·B
SDSouth Dakota	$75,740	$76,753	-$1,013	A·B
OKOklahoma	$74,923	$74,481	+$441	A·B