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

$59,530

national median wage

$50,012/yr

take-home in TX (no state tax)

Mechanical Engineer earns $42,790 more nationally

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

Mechanical Engineer

$102,320

national median wage

$80,812/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
NMNew Mexico	$35,788	$102,372	-$66,584	A·B
LALouisiana	$28,633	$86,029	-$57,396	A·B
WYWyoming	$43,841	$91,076	-$47,235	A·B
AKAlaska	$52,977	$100,114	-$47,137	A·B
NCNorth Carolina	$31,133	$76,356	-$45,223	A·B
KYKentucky	$30,840	$75,403	-$44,563	A·B
WVWest Virginia	$34,293	$75,598	-$41,305	A·B
SCSouth Carolina	$37,508	$77,786	-$40,278	A·B
DEDelaware	$38,702	$77,656	-$38,954	A·B
MNMinnesota	$34,491	$73,255	-$38,764	A·B
MSMississippi	$30,746	$69,361	-$38,615	A·B
TNTennessee	$40,186	$78,709	-$38,523	A·B
VTVermont	$38,134	$75,372	-$37,238	A·B
MEMaine	$38,314	$74,474	-$36,159	A·B
GAGeorgia	$37,354	$72,541	-$35,187	A·B
ALAlabama	$38,229	$72,844	-$34,615	A·B
UTUtah	$39,595	$74,098	-$34,503	A·B
NHNew Hampshire	$48,004	$81,917	-$33,913	A·B
TXTexas	$51,065	$84,977	-$33,912	A·B
IDIdaho	$43,455	$77,114	-$33,659	A·B
KSKansas	$35,923	$69,069	-$33,146	A·B
WIWisconsin	$39,197	$71,891	-$32,694	A·B
MAMassachusetts	$56,827	$89,197	-$32,370	A·B
MIMichigan	$44,720	$76,985	-$32,266	A·B
SDSouth Dakota	$40,362	$72,560	-$32,198	A·B
DCWashington D.C.	$60,926	$92,040	-$31,114	A·B
AZArizona	$48,242	$78,786	-$30,544	A·B
OKOklahoma	$38,580	$68,976	-$30,397	A·B
RIRhode Island	$55,721	$86,049	-$30,328	A·B
MOMissouri	$39,785	$70,093	-$30,308	A·B
IAIowa	$45,040	$74,375	-$29,335	A·B
FLFlorida	$49,072	$77,203	-$28,131	A·B
VAVirginia	$46,486	$73,824	-$27,338	A·B
MDMaryland	$55,494	$82,482	-$26,988	A·B
ARArkansas	$34,549	$61,223	-$26,674	A·B
CACalifornia	$63,837	$89,978	-$26,142	A·B
INIndiana	$49,787	$75,720	-$25,933	A·B
OHOhio	$49,111	$74,731	-$25,620	A·B
HIHawaii	$47,018	$70,130	-$23,111	A·B
MTMontana	$51,364	$74,406	-$23,042	A·B
NDNorth Dakota	$45,296	$67,559	-$22,263	A·B
NVNevada	$56,049	$77,850	-$21,801	A·B
COColorado	$60,030	$80,804	-$20,774	A·B
CTConnecticut	$59,943	$78,677	-$18,735	A·B
PAPennsylvania	$56,888	$74,394	-$17,506	A·B
OROregon	$54,560	$71,821	-$17,260	A·B
NENebraska	$49,706	$63,833	-$14,128	A·B
ILIllinois	$60,693	$74,198	-$13,505	A·B
NJNew Jersey	$67,105	$79,491	-$12,387	A·B
WAWashington	$74,600	$85,772	-$11,172	A·B
NYNew York	$66,830	$77,627	-$10,797	A·B