Firefighter vs Social Worker 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)

Social Worker earns $4,060 more nationally

Firefighter leads in 9 states · Social Worker leads in 42 states

Social Worker

$60,840

national median wage

$51,065/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	Social Worker	Difference
VAVirginia	$42,064	$51,322	-$9,258	A·B
VTVermont	$39,868	$48,570	-$8,702	A·B
MSMississippi	$28,616	$37,248	-$8,632	A·B
SCSouth Carolina	$33,261	$41,699	-$8,438	A·B
CACalifornia	$69,103	$60,806	+$8,297	A·B
NCNorth Carolina	$35,695	$43,591	-$7,896	A·B
GAGeorgia	$36,096	$43,888	-$7,792	A·B
TNTennessee	$35,469	$43,030	-$7,561	A·B
ARArkansas	$30,745	$37,863	-$7,119	A·B
MEMaine	$39,360	$46,286	-$6,926	A·B
LALouisiana	$34,383	$40,846	-$6,463	A·B
OKOklahoma	$33,283	$39,641	-$6,358	A·B
ALAlabama	$32,131	$38,467	-$6,337	A·B
KYKentucky	$36,229	$41,886	-$5,658	A·B
WVWest Virginia	$33,406	$39,010	-$5,604	A·B
NMNew Mexico	$39,911	$45,502	-$5,591	A·B
SDSouth Dakota	$36,273	$41,423	-$5,150	A·B
DEDelaware	$44,215	$49,009	-$4,795	A·B
IDIdaho	$37,640	$42,419	-$4,779	A·B
ILIllinois	$54,357	$49,681	+$4,676	A·B
NHNew Hampshire	$48,325	$52,672	-$4,347	A·B
TXTexas	$45,111	$49,458	-$4,347	A·B
HIHawaii	$56,073	$52,602	+$3,471	A·B
DCWashington D.C.	$59,421	$62,767	-$3,346	A·B
MNMinnesota	$48,403	$51,647	-$3,244	A·B
NVNevada	$53,146	$50,261	+$2,885	A·B
FLFlorida	$44,308	$47,047	-$2,740	A·B
INIndiana	$41,193	$43,829	-$2,636	A·B
MOMissouri	$41,233	$43,810	-$2,576	A·B
WIWisconsin	$44,111	$46,670	-$2,559	A·B
IAIowa	$39,912	$42,457	-$2,546	A·B
KSKansas	$39,865	$42,410	-$2,546	A·B
NENebraska	$40,894	$43,435	-$2,541	A·B
MTMontana	$40,450	$42,989	-$2,539	A·B
CTConnecticut	$56,251	$53,923	+$2,328	A·B
NJNew Jersey	$59,856	$57,541	+$2,315	A·B
OROregon	$50,261	$52,369	-$2,108	A·B
WYWyoming	$47,522	$45,440	+$2,081	A·B
AZArizona	$46,889	$48,765	-$1,876	A·B
RIRhode Island	$52,105	$53,917	-$1,812	A·B
MDMaryland	$52,727	$54,315	-$1,588	A·B
NYNew York	$57,054	$58,617	-$1,563	A·B
NDNorth Dakota	$43,099	$44,216	-$1,117	A·B
OHOhio	$45,972	$47,066	-$1,094	A·B
PAPennsylvania	$47,335	$48,424	-$1,090	A·B
MIMichigan	$45,361	$46,434	-$1,073	A·B
UTUtah	$42,750	$43,817	-$1,067	A·B
AKAlaska	$59,081	$60,073	-$992	A·B
COColorado	$50,997	$50,549	+$448	A·B
MAMassachusetts	$58,777	$58,391	+$386	A·B
WAWashington	$61,192	$61,480	-$288	A·B