Firefighter vs Mechanical Engineer Salary After Tax (2026)

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

Firefighter

$56,780

national median wage

$47,803/yr

take-home in TX (no state tax)

Mechanical Engineer earns $42,250 more nationally

Firefighter leads in 0 states · Mechanical Engineer leads in 51 states

Mechanical Engineer

$99,030

national median wage

$78,498/yr

take-home in TX (no state tax)

Take-Home Pay by State — All 50 States

Sorted by largest difference. Positive difference = Firefighter earns more after tax.

State	Firefighter	Mechanical Engineer	Difference
TNTennessee	$35,469	$73,186	-$37,717	A·B
TXTexas	$45,111	$81,628	-$36,517	A·B
LALouisiana	$34,383	$70,732	-$36,349	A·B
VAVirginia	$42,064	$78,387	-$36,323	A·B
SCSouth Carolina	$33,261	$69,222	-$35,961	A·B
NCNorth Carolina	$35,695	$71,586	-$35,890	A·B
GAGeorgia	$36,096	$70,345	-$34,249	A·B
ALAlabama	$32,131	$66,206	-$34,075	A·B
MSMississippi	$28,616	$62,679	-$34,063	A·B
OKOklahoma	$33,283	$66,722	-$33,439	A·B
ARArkansas	$30,745	$63,733	-$32,988	A·B
VTVermont	$39,868	$71,956	-$32,088	A·B
SDSouth Dakota	$36,273	$68,227	-$31,954	A·B
WAWashington	$61,192	$93,137	-$31,946	A·B
INIndiana	$41,193	$73,011	-$31,818	A·B
NHNew Hampshire	$48,325	$79,518	-$31,193	A·B
KYKentucky	$36,229	$66,966	-$30,738	A·B
WVWest Virginia	$33,406	$64,140	-$30,734	A·B
DEDelaware	$44,215	$74,615	-$30,401	A·B
MIMichigan	$45,361	$75,419	-$30,058	A·B
FLFlorida	$44,308	$73,890	-$29,582	A·B
NMNew Mexico	$39,911	$69,476	-$29,564	A·B
WIWisconsin	$44,111	$73,289	-$29,178	A·B
UTUtah	$42,750	$71,651	-$28,901	A·B
OHOhio	$45,972	$74,823	-$28,851	A·B
IDIdaho	$37,640	$66,055	-$28,414	A·B
MOMissouri	$41,233	$69,093	-$27,860	A·B
KSKansas	$39,865	$67,568	-$27,703	A·B
AZArizona	$46,889	$74,536	-$27,647	A·B
IAIowa	$39,912	$67,479	-$27,567	A·B
NDNorth Dakota	$43,099	$70,638	-$27,539	A·B
PAPennsylvania	$47,335	$74,381	-$27,046	A·B
COColorado	$50,997	$77,830	-$26,832	A·B
NENebraska	$40,894	$67,660	-$26,766	A·B
DCWashington D.C.	$59,421	$86,048	-$26,626	A·B
MDMaryland	$52,727	$79,005	-$26,278	A·B
MEMaine	$39,360	$65,299	-$25,939	A·B
MTMontana	$40,450	$66,168	-$25,718	A·B
WYWyoming	$47,522	$73,151	-$25,630	A·B
MNMinnesota	$48,403	$73,827	-$25,423	A·B
RIRhode Island	$52,105	$76,244	-$24,139	A·B
OROregon	$50,261	$74,323	-$24,062	A·B
MAMassachusetts	$58,777	$82,571	-$23,794	A·B
AKAlaska	$59,081	$82,564	-$23,483	A·B
CTConnecticut	$56,251	$79,175	-$22,924	A·B
NYNew York	$57,054	$79,685	-$22,631	A·B
NVNevada	$53,146	$75,226	-$22,080	A·B
NJNew Jersey	$59,856	$81,641	-$21,785	A·B
ILIllinois	$54,357	$74,010	-$19,653	A·B
CACalifornia	$69,103	$83,114	-$14,011	A·B
HIHawaii	$56,073	$68,742	-$12,668	A·B