Registered Nurse vs Physician Assistant Salary After Tax (2026)

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

Registered Nurse

$81,220

national median wage

$65,968/yr

take-home in TX (no state tax)

Physician Assistant earns $48,800 more nationally

Registered Nurse leads in 0 states · Physician Assistant leads in 51 states

Physician Assistant

$130,020

national median wage

$100,135/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	Physician Assistant	Difference
NHNew Hampshire	$67,875	$104,516	-$36,641	A·B
WYWyoming	$59,876	$94,256	-$34,380	A·B
TXTexas	$63,358	$96,997	-$33,639	A·B
WAWashington	$81,530	$114,768	-$33,239	A·B
SDSouth Dakota	$51,981	$85,111	-$33,130	A·B
FLFlorida	$61,241	$94,256	-$33,015	A·B
INIndiana	$56,435	$89,237	-$32,802	A·B
NDNorth Dakota	$56,375	$89,082	-$32,707	A·B
MDMaryland	$65,585	$98,270	-$32,685	A·B
COColorado	$62,707	$95,318	-$32,611	A·B
MNMinnesota	$62,896	$95,065	-$32,169	A·B
OHOhio	$58,791	$90,788	-$31,997	A·B
TNTennessee	$56,640	$88,628	-$31,988	A·B
IAIowa	$51,908	$83,641	-$31,733	A·B
MEMaine	$59,496	$91,098	-$31,602	A·B
NENebraska	$54,164	$85,723	-$31,558	A·B
KSKansas	$52,070	$83,594	-$31,524	A·B
GAGeorgia	$56,727	$88,237	-$31,511	A·B
ILIllinois	$60,747	$92,177	-$31,430	A·B
KYKentucky	$52,140	$83,554	-$31,414	A·B
MIMichigan	$59,337	$90,623	-$31,286	A·B
DEDelaware	$61,247	$92,427	-$31,181	A·B
MOMissouri	$54,286	$85,448	-$31,162	A·B
UTUtah	$57,848	$88,733	-$30,886	A·B
PAPennsylvania	$62,412	$93,147	-$30,735	A·B
VTVermont	$62,878	$93,371	-$30,493	A·B
NCNorth Carolina	$57,606	$88,048	-$30,442	A·B
MAMassachusetts	$73,644	$104,029	-$30,385	A·B
ALAlabama	$49,582	$79,929	-$30,347	A·B
VAVirginia	$60,900	$91,182	-$30,282	A·B
MTMontana	$56,365	$86,528	-$30,163	A·B
CTConnecticut	$69,422	$99,151	-$29,729	A·B
NJNew Jersey	$71,328	$101,051	-$29,723	A·B
AZArizona	$64,806	$94,520	-$29,714	A·B
OKOklahoma	$52,205	$81,810	-$29,604	A·B
NVNevada	$73,179	$102,465	-$29,286	A·B
LALouisiana	$54,141	$83,258	-$29,117	A·B
IDIdaho	$57,069	$86,123	-$29,054	A·B
WIWisconsin	$60,520	$89,539	-$29,019	A·B
SCSouth Carolina	$54,571	$83,291	-$28,720	A·B
AKAlaska	$77,231	$105,883	-$28,652	A·B
MSMississippi	$49,292	$77,778	-$28,487	A·B
NMNew Mexico	$61,281	$89,497	-$28,215	A·B
RIRhode Island	$71,717	$99,534	-$27,817	A·B
ARArkansas	$51,314	$78,294	-$26,980	A·B
DCWashington D.C.	$74,191	$101,007	-$26,816	A·B
NYNew York	$73,488	$99,872	-$26,384	A·B
WVWest Virginia	$53,977	$79,143	-$25,166	A·B
OROregon	$72,789	$97,086	-$24,297	A·B
HIHawaii	$74,952	$96,086	-$21,134	A·B
CACalifornia	$88,332	$105,120	-$16,788	A·B