Median salary: $120K (Physician Assistant) vs $120K (Software Engineer). Salary ranges overlap between 90K–160K and 80K–200K. The take-home difference depends on state taxes, cost of living, and where in the salary range you fall.
At the national median, Physician Assistants earn $120K and Software Engineers earn $120K. After federal taxes and FICA (calculated without state tax to isolate the salary effect), Physician Assistants take home $93,195 vs $93,195 for Software Engineers.
Both professions have identical national medians, so the take-home difference comes entirely from state-level salary adjustments and state taxes.
Physician Assistants face an effective tax rate of 22.3% at median, while Software Engineers pay 22.3%. Both professions face similar effective rates at their median salaries.
The best states differ for each profession because salary adjustments vary by state cost index and interact differently with tax brackets. A state that’s great for a $120K earner may not be optimal for a $120K earner.
All 50 states showing estimated salary and take-home for both professions. Sorted by which states give Physician Assistants the largest take-home advantage over Software Engineers.
| State | Physician Assistant Salary | Physician Assistant Take-Home | Software Engineer Salary | Software Engineer Take-Home | Difference | Higher |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $106K | $78,311 | $106K | $78,311 | $0 | Software Engineer |
| Alaska | $152K | $115,118 | $152K | $115,118 | $0 | Software Engineer |
| Arizona | $116K | $87,481 | $116K | $87,481 | $0 | Software Engineer |
| Arkansas | $103K | $78,624 | $103K | $78,624 | $0 | Software Engineer |
| California | $170K | $112,725 | $170K | $112,725 | $0 | Software Engineer |
| Colorado | $126K | $91,803 | $126K | $91,803 | $0 | Software Engineer |
| Connecticut | $133K | $96,089 | $133K | $96,089 | $0 | Software Engineer |
| Delaware | $122K | $87,538 | $122K | $87,538 | $0 | Software Engineer |
| Florida | $120K | $93,195 | $120K | $93,195 | $0 | Software Engineer |
| Georgia | $112K | $81,754 | $112K | $81,754 | $0 | Software Engineer |
| Hawaii | $230K | $153,689 | $230K | $153,689 | $0 | Software Engineer |
| Idaho | $114K | $82,932 | $114K | $82,932 | $0 | Software Engineer |
| Illinois | $112K | $82,023 | $112K | $82,023 | $0 | Software Engineer |
| Indiana | $108K | $79,947 | $108K | $79,947 | $0 | Software Engineer |
| Iowa | $107K | $79,984 | $107K | $79,984 | $0 | Software Engineer |
| Kansas | $108K | $80,752 | $108K | $80,752 | $0 | Software Engineer |
| Kentucky | $108K | $79,353 | $108K | $79,353 | $0 | Software Engineer |
| Louisiana | $109K | $82,445 | $109K | $82,445 | $0 | Software Engineer |
| Maine | $118K | $86,304 | $118K | $86,304 | $0 | Software Engineer |
| Maryland | $134K | $95,797 | $134K | $95,797 | $0 | Software Engineer |
| Massachusetts | $142K | $101,183 | $142K | $101,183 | $0 | Software Engineer |
| Michigan | $109K | $79,189 | $109K | $79,189 | $0 | Software Engineer |
| Minnesota | $119K | $84,873 | $119K | $84,873 | $0 | Software Engineer |
| Mississippi | $100K | $75,875 | $100K | $75,875 | $0 | Software Engineer |
| Missouri | $107K | $79,106 | $107K | $79,106 | $0 | Software Engineer |
| Montana | $116K | $86,121 | $116K | $86,121 | $0 | Software Engineer |
| Nebraska | $109K | $82,233 | $109K | $82,233 | $0 | Software Engineer |
| Nevada | $121K | $93,899 | $121K | $93,899 | $0 | Software Engineer |
| New Hampshire | $130K | $100,081 | $130K | $100,081 | $0 | Software Engineer |
| New Jersey | $138K | $95,906 | $138K | $95,906 | $0 | Software Engineer |
| New Mexico | $109K | $81,276 | $109K | $81,276 | $0 | Software Engineer |
| New York | $150K | $100,874 | $150K | $100,874 | $0 | Software Engineer |
| North Carolina | $114K | $84,425 | $114K | $84,425 | $0 | Software Engineer |
| North Dakota | $110K | $84,766 | $110K | $84,766 | $0 | Software Engineer |
| Ohio | $108K | $80,163 | $108K | $80,163 | $0 | Software Engineer |
| Oklahoma | $104K | $78,728 | $104K | $78,728 | $0 | Software Engineer |
| Oregon | $132K | $90,974 | $132K | $90,974 | $0 | Software Engineer |
| Pennsylvania | $118K | $86,395 | $118K | $86,395 | $0 | Software Engineer |
| Rhode Island | $126K | $92,441 | $126K | $92,441 | $0 | Software Engineer |
| South Carolina | $110K | $81,584 | $110K | $81,584 | $0 | Software Engineer |
| South Dakota | $110K | $86,160 | $110K | $86,160 | $0 | Software Engineer |
| Tennessee | $108K | $84,753 | $108K | $84,753 | $0 | Software Engineer |
| Texas | $112K | $87,567 | $112K | $87,567 | $0 | Software Engineer |
| Utah | $119K | $86,958 | $119K | $86,958 | $0 | Software Engineer |
| Vermont | $126K | $90,181 | $126K | $90,181 | $0 | Software Engineer |
| Virginia | $124K | $91,346 | $124K | $91,346 | $0 | Software Engineer |
| Washington | $132K | $101,448 | $132K | $101,448 | $0 | Software Engineer |
| West Virginia | $100K | $75,797 | $100K | $75,797 | $0 | Software Engineer |
| Wisconsin | $112K | $81,998 | $112K | $81,998 | $0 | Software Engineer |
| Wyoming | $113K | $88,271 | $113K | $88,271 | $0 | Software Engineer |
Job Security & Demand: These careers offer different flavors of job security. The healthcare role (Physician Assistant) provides near-guaranteed employment anywhere in the country — hospitals and clinics always need staff. The tech role offers high demand but with more volatility, as layoffs in tech can be sudden even at profitable companies.
Growth & Advancement: Tech salaries can scale dramatically with experience and negotiation — senior engineers at top companies earn $300K–$500K+. Healthcare salaries are more predictable and capped by billing structures, typically plateauing in the mid-to-high six figures for most clinical roles. However, healthcare offers more geographic flexibility for similar pay, while top tech salaries concentrate in specific markets.
Work-Life Balance & Lifestyle: The biggest lifestyle difference: tech roles increasingly allow full remote work (enabling tax-advantaged state residency), while healthcare roles require physical presence at clinical sites. Tech professionals can more easily optimize their state tax situation. On the other hand, healthcare workers have clearer on/off boundaries — you rarely take patient care home with you.