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

$145,760

national median wage

$110,893/yr

take-home in TX (no state tax)

Lawyer earns $46,730 more nationally

Lawyer leads in 51 states · Mechanical Engineer leads in 0 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 = Lawyer earns more after tax.

State	Lawyer	Mechanical Engineer	Difference
DCWashington D.C.	$146,590	$86,048	+$60,543	A·B
NYNew York	$136,214	$79,685	+$56,528	A·B
CACalifornia	$122,245	$83,114	+$39,131	A·B
MAMassachusetts	$116,066	$82,571	+$33,495	A·B
MDMaryland	$108,366	$79,005	+$29,362	A·B
NJNew Jersey	$109,108	$81,641	+$27,467	A·B
ILIllinois	$101,053	$74,010	+$27,043	A·B
VAVirginia	$104,954	$78,387	+$26,567	A·B
TXTexas	$105,883	$81,628	+$24,255	A·B
DEDelaware	$98,602	$74,615	+$23,987	A·B
FLFlorida	$97,681	$73,890	+$23,791	A·B
CTConnecticut	$101,021	$79,175	+$21,846	A·B
NVNevada	$95,630	$75,226	+$20,404	A·B
RIRhode Island	$95,718	$76,244	+$19,475	A·B
COColorado	$97,237	$77,830	+$19,407	A·B
AZArizona	$93,203	$74,536	+$18,667	A·B
MNMinnesota	$92,040	$73,827	+$18,213	A·B
PAPennsylvania	$92,494	$74,381	+$18,113	A·B
GAGeorgia	$88,237	$70,345	+$17,892	A·B
MOMissouri	$86,103	$69,093	+$17,010	A·B
WAWashington	$109,300	$93,137	+$16,163	A·B
NHNew Hampshire	$93,553	$79,518	+$14,035	A·B
TNTennessee	$87,221	$73,186	+$14,035	A·B
NCNorth Carolina	$85,414	$71,586	+$13,829	A·B
OHOhio	$88,134	$74,823	+$13,311	A·B
HIHawaii	$81,534	$68,742	+$12,793	A·B
KYKentucky	$78,909	$66,966	+$11,943	A·B
MIMichigan	$87,350	$75,419	+$11,931	A·B
NENebraska	$79,272	$67,660	+$11,612	A·B
MEMaine	$76,675	$65,299	+$11,376	A·B
ALAlabama	$77,315	$66,206	+$11,110	A·B
AKAlaska	$93,553	$82,564	+$10,989	A·B
NDNorth Dakota	$81,567	$70,638	+$10,930	A·B
SCSouth Carolina	$80,093	$69,222	+$10,872	A·B
KSKansas	$78,422	$67,568	+$10,855	A·B
ARArkansas	$74,355	$63,733	+$10,622	A·B
UTUtah	$82,163	$71,651	+$10,512	A·B
OROregon	$84,752	$74,323	+$10,429	A·B
WIWisconsin	$83,697	$73,289	+$10,408	A·B
IDIdaho	$76,441	$66,055	+$10,386	A·B
SDSouth Dakota	$78,076	$68,227	+$9,849	A·B
IAIowa	$77,176	$67,479	+$9,698	A·B
OKOklahoma	$75,906	$66,722	+$9,184	A·B
NMNew Mexico	$78,370	$69,476	+$8,895	A·B
INIndiana	$81,834	$73,011	+$8,823	A·B
WVWest Virginia	$72,620	$64,140	+$8,480	A·B
VTVermont	$80,212	$71,956	+$8,256	A·B
MTMontana	$74,282	$66,168	+$8,114	A·B
LALouisiana	$78,631	$70,732	+$7,899	A·B
MSMississippi	$70,557	$62,679	+$7,878	A·B
WYWyoming	$80,186	$73,151	+$7,035	A·B