Registered Nurse 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.

Registered Nurse

$93,600

national median wage

$74,678/yr

take-home in TX (no state tax)

Mechanical Engineer earns $8,720 more nationally

Registered Nurse leads in 7 states · Mechanical Engineer leads in 44 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 = Registered Nurse earns more after tax.

State	Registered Nurse	Mechanical Engineer	Difference
NMNew Mexico	$67,927	$102,372	-$34,445	A·B
HIHawaii	$95,593	$70,130	+$25,464	A·B
WYWyoming	$66,369	$91,076	-$24,707	A·B
LALouisiana	$62,342	$86,029	-$23,687	A·B
ALAlabama	$55,520	$72,844	-$17,324	A·B
SCSouth Carolina	$61,403	$77,786	-$16,384	A·B
DCWashington D.C.	$76,463	$92,040	-$15,577	A·B
SDSouth Dakota	$57,730	$72,560	-$14,830	A·B
TNTennessee	$64,428	$78,709	-$14,281	A·B
OROregon	$85,760	$71,821	+$13,939	A·B
IAIowa	$60,659	$74,375	-$13,716	A·B
WVWest Virginia	$62,086	$75,598	-$13,512	A·B
MAMassachusetts	$75,687	$89,197	-$13,510	A·B
AKAlaska	$86,700	$100,114	-$13,414	A·B
KYKentucky	$62,367	$75,403	-$13,036	A·B
TXTexas	$72,152	$84,977	-$12,825	A·B
NCNorth Carolina	$63,661	$76,356	-$12,695	A·B
INIndiana	$63,278	$75,720	-$12,442	A·B
MEMaine	$62,693	$74,474	-$11,780	A·B
MTMontana	$62,960	$74,406	-$11,445	A·B
IDIdaho	$65,691	$77,114	-$11,423	A·B
MIMichigan	$65,709	$76,985	-$11,277	A·B
UTUtah	$63,048	$74,098	-$11,050	A·B
MSMississippi	$58,573	$69,361	-$10,789	A·B
OHOhio	$64,537	$74,731	-$10,194	A·B
FLFlorida	$67,115	$77,203	-$10,088	A·B
RIRhode Island	$76,006	$86,049	-$10,043	A·B
VTVermont	$65,573	$75,372	-$9,798	A·B
MDMaryland	$72,714	$82,482	-$9,768	A·B
KSKansas	$60,189	$69,069	-$8,880	A·B
ILIllinois	$65,487	$74,198	-$8,711	A·B
DEDelaware	$69,107	$77,656	-$8,549	A·B
CACalifornia	$98,222	$89,978	+$8,243	A·B
MOMissouri	$62,136	$70,093	-$7,957	A·B
COColorado	$73,193	$80,804	-$7,611	A·B
VAVirginia	$67,022	$73,824	-$6,802	A·B
GAGeorgia	$65,855	$72,541	-$6,685	A·B
PAPennsylvania	$67,774	$74,394	-$6,620	A·B
OKOklahoma	$62,819	$68,976	-$6,157	A·B
WIWisconsin	$66,199	$71,891	-$5,692	A·B
NHNew Hampshire	$76,950	$81,917	-$4,967	A·B
NDNorth Dakota	$63,619	$67,559	-$3,940	A·B
AZArizona	$74,972	$78,786	-$3,813	A·B
CTConnecticut	$75,453	$78,677	-$3,224	A·B
NJNew Jersey	$76,747	$79,491	-$2,745	A·B
NVNevada	$80,580	$77,850	+$2,730	A·B
WAWashington	$87,749	$85,772	+$1,977	A·B
MNMinnesota	$74,456	$73,255	+$1,201	A·B
NENebraska	$62,853	$63,833	-$980	A·B
ARArkansas	$60,267	$61,223	-$957	A·B
NYNew York	$77,929	$77,627	+$303	A·B