Registered Nurse vs Lawyer Salary After Tax (2026)

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

Registered Nurse

$93,600

national median wage

$74,678/yr

take-home in TX (no state tax)

Lawyer earns $57,560 more nationally

Registered Nurse leads in 1 states · Lawyer leads in 50 states

Lawyer

$151,160

national median wage

$114,584/yr

take-home in TX (no state tax)

Take-Home Pay by State — All 50 States

Sorted by largest difference. Positive difference = Registered Nurse earns more after tax.

State	Registered Nurse	Lawyer	Difference
DCWashington D.C.	$76,463	$129,532	-$53,070	A·B
DEDelaware	$68,737	$118,462	-$49,725	A·B
MAMassachusetts	$75,218	$124,091	-$48,872	A·B
COColorado	$72,769	$118,652	-$45,883	A·B
ILIllinois	$65,487	$111,152	-$45,665	A·B
NYNew York	$77,486	$122,531	-$45,044	A·B
VAVirginia	$67,022	$110,976	-$43,954	A·B
ALAlabama	$55,520	$92,404	-$36,884	A·B
TNTennessee	$64,428	$100,511	-$36,083	A·B
CTConnecticut	$74,945	$111,006	-$36,061	A·B
NJNew Jersey	$76,125	$110,820	-$34,695	A·B
CACalifornia	$96,397	$130,405	-$34,007	A·B
NVNevada	$80,580	$114,584	-$34,004	A·B
INIndiana	$63,278	$96,394	-$33,116	A·B
FLFlorida	$67,115	$98,624	-$31,509	A·B
TXTexas	$72,152	$102,561	-$30,409	A·B
MDMaryland	$72,714	$102,767	-$30,053	A·B
OHOhio	$64,537	$94,344	-$29,806	A·B
MOMissouri	$62,136	$91,263	-$29,127	A·B
UTUtah	$63,048	$91,575	-$28,527	A·B
NCNorth Carolina	$63,661	$92,147	-$28,486	A·B
PAPennsylvania	$67,713	$94,696	-$26,983	A·B
MIMichigan	$65,709	$92,667	-$26,959	A·B
WAWashington	$86,193	$113,016	-$26,824	A·B
GAGeorgia	$65,855	$91,622	-$25,767	A·B
AZArizona	$74,972	$99,486	-$24,514	A·B
MNMinnesota	$74,012	$96,814	-$22,801	A·B
LALouisiana	$62,342	$85,052	-$22,710	A·B
WIWisconsin	$66,199	$88,251	-$22,052	A·B
KSKansas	$60,189	$82,172	-$21,983	A·B
IAIowa	$60,659	$81,229	-$20,571	A·B
SDSouth Dakota	$57,730	$76,753	-$19,023	A·B
RIRhode Island	$74,906	$93,761	-$18,855	A·B
NDNorth Dakota	$63,619	$81,868	-$18,249	A·B
NHNew Hampshire	$76,950	$95,090	-$18,141	A·B
NMNew Mexico	$67,927	$83,792	-$15,865	A·B
NENebraska	$62,853	$78,612	-$15,759	A·B
SCSouth Carolina	$61,403	$77,014	-$15,611	A·B
AKAlaska	$86,429	$101,702	-$15,273	A·B
KYKentucky	$62,367	$77,582	-$15,215	A·B
WVWest Virginia	$62,086	$76,666	-$14,580	A·B
WYWyoming	$66,369	$79,300	-$12,930	A·B
HIHawaii	$95,203	$82,766	+$12,437	A·B
MTMontana	$62,960	$75,376	-$12,416	A·B
MSMississippi	$58,573	$70,609	-$12,036	A·B
OKOklahoma	$62,819	$74,481	-$11,662	A·B
MEMaine	$62,279	$73,239	-$10,960	A·B
IDIdaho	$65,691	$76,216	-$10,525	A·B
OROregon	$84,892	$95,064	-$10,172	A·B
VTVermont	$65,573	$75,735	-$10,162	A·B
ARArkansas	$60,267	$66,805	-$6,539	A·B