Lawyer vs Civil Engineer Salary After Tax (2026)

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

Lawyer

$145,760

national median wage

$110,893/yr

take-home in TX (no state tax)

Lawyer earns $49,870 more nationally

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

Civil Engineer

$95,890

national median wage

$76,289/yr

take-home in TX (no state tax)

Take-Home Pay by State — All 50 States

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

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