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

$93,600

national median wage

$74,678/yr

take-home in TX (no state tax)

Physician Assistant earns $39,660 more nationally

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

Physician Assistant

$133,260

national median wage

$102,349/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
SDSouth Dakota	$57,730	$98,843	-$41,113	A·B
MOMissouri	$62,136	$100,804	-$38,668	A·B
IAIowa	$60,659	$97,988	-$37,329	A·B
WYWyoming	$66,369	$102,397	-$36,028	A·B
INIndiana	$63,278	$97,754	-$34,476	A·B
UTUtah	$63,048	$97,117	-$34,069	A·B
LALouisiana	$62,342	$96,352	-$34,010	A·B
VTVermont	$65,573	$99,258	-$33,685	A·B
NMNew Mexico	$67,927	$101,421	-$33,493	A·B
MTMontana	$62,960	$96,005	-$33,045	A·B
NDNorth Dakota	$63,619	$96,309	-$32,690	A·B
OKOklahoma	$62,819	$95,295	-$32,476	A·B
FLFlorida	$67,115	$98,207	-$31,092	A·B
NENebraska	$62,853	$93,795	-$30,942	A·B
NCNorth Carolina	$63,661	$94,503	-$30,842	A·B
WAWashington	$87,749	$118,569	-$30,820	A·B
OHOhio	$64,537	$95,203	-$30,666	A·B
MIMichigan	$65,709	$96,116	-$30,407	A·B
MEMaine	$62,693	$93,087	-$30,393	A·B
WIWisconsin	$66,199	$96,390	-$30,190	A·B
KSKansas	$60,189	$90,177	-$29,988	A·B
TXTexas	$72,152	$102,042	-$29,890	A·B
VAVirginia	$67,022	$96,897	-$29,875	A·B
NYNew York	$77,929	$107,636	-$29,707	A·B
DEDelaware	$69,107	$98,164	-$29,057	A·B
NHNew Hampshire	$76,950	$105,131	-$28,181	A·B
WVWest Virginia	$62,086	$90,227	-$28,141	A·B
IDIdaho	$65,691	$93,454	-$27,762	A·B
RIRhode Island	$76,006	$102,925	-$26,920	A·B
AZArizona	$74,972	$100,724	-$25,752	A·B
SCSouth Carolina	$61,403	$86,686	-$25,283	A·B
PAPennsylvania	$67,774	$92,788	-$25,014	A·B
TNTennessee	$64,428	$89,022	-$24,594	A·B
MDMaryland	$72,714	$96,842	-$24,128	A·B
MNMinnesota	$74,456	$98,376	-$23,919	A·B
ILIllinois	$65,487	$89,386	-$23,900	A·B
NJNew Jersey	$76,747	$100,532	-$23,785	A·B
CTConnecticut	$75,453	$98,833	-$23,380	A·B
MAMassachusetts	$75,687	$98,966	-$23,279	A·B
COColorado	$73,193	$96,331	-$23,138	A·B
NVNevada	$80,580	$102,479	-$21,899	A·B
KYKentucky	$62,367	$82,683	-$20,316	A·B
ALAlabama	$55,520	$75,504	-$19,984	A·B
MSMississippi	$58,573	$78,544	-$19,971	A·B
AKAlaska	$86,700	$104,461	-$17,761	A·B
ARArkansas	$60,267	$77,823	-$17,556	A·B
DCWashington D.C.	$76,463	$92,680	-$16,217	A·B
HIHawaii	$95,593	$111,733	-$16,140	A·B
GAGeorgia	$65,855	$81,122	-$15,267	A·B
OROregon	$85,760	$100,502	-$14,742	A·B
CACalifornia	$98,222	$110,475	-$12,253	A·B