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

$95,890

national median wage

$76,289/yr

take-home in TX (no state tax)

Lawyer earns $49,870 more nationally

Civil Engineer leads in 0 states · Lawyer leads in 51 states

Lawyer

$145,760

national median wage

$110,893/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.	$82,924	$146,590	-$63,666	A·B
NYNew York	$75,792	$136,214	-$60,422	A·B
CACalifornia	$83,144	$122,245	-$39,100	A·B
MAMassachusetts	$79,036	$116,066	-$37,030	A·B
MDMaryland	$75,694	$108,366	-$32,673	A·B
NJNew Jersey	$77,771	$109,108	-$31,337	A·B
VAVirginia	$74,479	$104,954	-$30,475	A·B
ILIllinois	$71,361	$101,053	-$29,691	A·B
TXTexas	$77,372	$105,883	-$28,511	A·B
DEDelaware	$70,905	$98,602	-$27,697	A·B
FLFlorida	$70,337	$97,681	-$27,344	A·B
CTConnecticut	$75,694	$101,021	-$25,327	A·B
NVNevada	$72,448	$95,630	-$23,183	A·B
COColorado	$74,387	$97,237	-$22,850	A·B
WAWashington	$86,518	$109,300	-$22,783	A·B
AZArizona	$70,865	$93,203	-$22,338	A·B
RIRhode Island	$73,587	$95,718	-$22,131	A·B
PAPennsylvania	$71,017	$92,494	-$21,477	A·B
MNMinnesota	$70,617	$92,040	-$21,422	A·B
GAGeorgia	$66,837	$88,237	-$21,401	A·B
MOMissouri	$66,438	$86,103	-$19,665	A·B
NHNew Hampshire	$75,965	$93,553	-$17,588	A·B
TNTennessee	$69,634	$87,221	-$17,588	A·B
OHOhio	$70,734	$88,134	-$17,400	A·B
NCNorth Carolina	$68,293	$85,414	-$17,121	A·B
MIMichigan	$70,825	$87,350	-$16,525	A·B
ALAlabama	$62,285	$77,315	-$15,031	A·B
NENebraska	$64,434	$79,272	-$14,837	A·B
KYKentucky	$64,312	$78,909	-$14,597	A·B
WIWisconsin	$69,386	$83,697	-$14,311	A·B
KSKansas	$64,199	$78,422	-$14,223	A·B
OROregon	$70,596	$84,752	-$14,155	A·B
SCSouth Carolina	$66,024	$80,093	-$14,069	A·B
MEMaine	$62,771	$76,675	-$13,904	A·B
UTUtah	$68,366	$82,163	-$13,797	A·B
ARArkansas	$60,568	$74,355	-$13,787	A·B
SDSouth Dakota	$64,709	$78,076	-$13,367	A·B
IAIowa	$64,246	$77,176	-$12,930	A·B
IDIdaho	$63,531	$76,441	-$12,910	A·B
INIndiana	$69,047	$81,834	-$12,787	A·B
OKOklahoma	$63,442	$75,906	-$12,464	A·B
NMNew Mexico	$65,935	$78,370	-$12,436	A·B
NDNorth Dakota	$69,272	$81,567	-$12,296	A·B
VTVermont	$68,099	$80,212	-$12,113	A·B
WVWest Virginia	$60,878	$72,620	-$11,741	A·B
MTMontana	$62,681	$74,282	-$11,601	A·B
HIHawaii	$70,356	$81,534	-$11,178	A·B
LALouisiana	$68,055	$78,631	-$10,576	A·B
AKAlaska	$83,000	$93,553	-$10,553	A·B
MSMississippi	$60,053	$70,557	-$10,504	A·B
WYWyoming	$70,337	$80,186	-$9,849	A·B