Lawyer 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.

Lawyer

$151,160

national median wage

$114,584/yr

take-home in TX (no state tax)

Lawyer earns $48,840 more nationally

Lawyer leads in 45 states · Mechanical Engineer leads in 6 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 = Lawyer earns more after tax.

State	Lawyer	Mechanical Engineer	Difference
NYNew York	$122,974	$77,627	+$45,347	A·B
CACalifornia	$132,976	$89,978	+$42,997	A·B
DEDelaware	$119,153	$77,656	+$41,497	A·B
COColorado	$119,391	$80,804	+$38,587	A·B
DCWashington D.C.	$129,532	$92,040	+$37,493	A·B
VAVirginia	$110,976	$73,824	+$37,151	A·B
ILIllinois	$111,152	$74,198	+$36,953	A·B
NVNevada	$114,584	$77,850	+$36,733	A·B
MAMassachusetts	$124,914	$89,197	+$35,717	A·B
CTConnecticut	$111,802	$78,677	+$33,125	A·B
NJNew Jersey	$111,676	$79,491	+$32,184	A·B
WAWashington	$115,124	$85,772	+$29,352	A·B
OROregon	$96,054	$71,821	+$24,234	A·B
MNMinnesota	$97,420	$73,255	+$24,164	A·B
TNTennessee	$100,511	$78,709	+$21,802	A·B
FLFlorida	$98,624	$77,203	+$21,421	A·B
MOMissouri	$91,263	$70,093	+$21,170	A·B
AZArizona	$99,486	$78,786	+$20,701	A·B
INIndiana	$96,394	$75,720	+$20,674	A·B
PAPennsylvania	$94,785	$74,394	+$20,391	A·B
MDMaryland	$102,767	$82,482	+$20,285	A·B
OHOhio	$94,344	$74,731	+$19,612	A·B
ALAlabama	$92,404	$72,844	+$19,560	A·B
GAGeorgia	$91,622	$72,541	+$19,081	A·B
NMNew Mexico	$83,792	$102,372	-$18,580	A·B
TXTexas	$102,561	$84,977	+$17,584	A·B
UTUtah	$91,575	$74,098	+$17,477	A·B
WIWisconsin	$88,251	$71,891	+$16,360	A·B
NCNorth Carolina	$92,147	$76,356	+$15,792	A·B
MIMichigan	$92,667	$76,985	+$15,682	A·B
NENebraska	$78,612	$63,833	+$14,779	A·B
NDNorth Dakota	$81,868	$67,559	+$14,309	A·B
NHNew Hampshire	$95,090	$81,917	+$13,174	A·B
KSKansas	$82,172	$69,069	+$13,103	A·B
HIHawaii	$83,156	$70,130	+$13,027	A·B
WYWyoming	$79,300	$91,076	-$11,777	A·B
RIRhode Island	$94,861	$86,049	+$8,812	A·B
IAIowa	$81,229	$74,375	+$6,855	A·B
ARArkansas	$66,805	$61,223	+$5,582	A·B
OKOklahoma	$74,481	$68,976	+$5,505	A·B
SDSouth Dakota	$76,753	$72,560	+$4,193	A·B
KYKentucky	$77,582	$75,403	+$2,179	A·B
AKAlaska	$101,973	$100,114	+$1,859	A·B
MSMississippi	$70,609	$69,361	+$1,247	A·B
WVWest Virginia	$76,666	$75,598	+$1,068	A·B
LALouisiana	$85,052	$86,029	-$977	A·B
MTMontana	$75,376	$74,406	+$971	A·B
IDIdaho	$76,216	$77,114	-$898	A·B
SCSouth Carolina	$77,014	$77,786	-$772	A·B
MEMaine	$73,741	$74,474	-$733	A·B
VTVermont	$75,735	$75,372	+$363	A·B