Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area · also Cambridge, Newton

Average Salary in Boston, MA

The average salary in Boston, Massachusetts is $89,620 a year ($43.09 an hour) across all jobs, and the median is $66,620, according to BLS estimates for May 2025 covering the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area. That is 28% more than the U.S. average ($69,770) and 5% more than the Massachusetts average ($85,610).

$89,620average salary
$66,620median salary
108cost of living (U.S. = 100)
2,703,890jobs in the metro
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Average salary by job family in Boston

Management$183,090
Legal$176,660
Computer and Mathematical$136,170
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical$124,520
Architecture and Engineering$118,920
Life, Physical, and Social Science$116,950
Business and Financial Operations$114,170
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media$87,200
Educational Instruction and Library$85,360
Construction and Extraction$82,960
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair$72,760
Community and Social Service$71,590
Protective Service$69,990
Sales and Related$66,760
Office and Administrative Support$59,580
Production$56,770
Transportation and Material Moving$53,340
Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance$48,260
Personal Care and Service$48,090
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry$47,220
Healthcare Support$47,180
Food Preparation and Serving Related$42,830
BLS OEWS May 2025, all employers in the metro area.

Highest-paying jobs in Boston

Most common jobs in Boston and what they pay

JobJobsAverage salaryMedian
Home Health and Personal Care Aides72,420$42,240$40,910
General and Operations Managers70,950$163,800$133,800
Registered Nurses64,240$121,820$106,180
Retail Salespersons64,150$40,320$36,850
Fast Food and Counter Workers60,130$36,230$36,290
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners43,160$45,900$46,550
Cashiers42,920$37,260$36,040
Software Developers42,310$162,440$166,090
Waiters and Waitresses41,570$45,340$39,270
Customer Service Representatives37,780$53,740$49,920
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Cost of living in Boston

Prices in the Boston area are 8% above the U.S. average, with a BEA price parity of 108.3 for 2024. The average local salary of $89,620 therefore buys what $82,778 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. A typical home is worth $741,868, 6.6 times the median household income of $112,484.

$741,868typical home value
$112,484median household income
108.3BEA price parity
4,917,661metro population

Take-home pay in Boston

Salary levelGrossAfter taxPer month
25th percentile wage$45,850$37,048$3,087
Median wage$66,620$52,622$4,385
Average wage$89,620$67,716$5,643
75th percentile wage$106,230$78,571$6,548

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave premiums are not included.

Compare Boston with another city

Cost of living: Boston vs other cities

Salaries for every job in Boston

Management33 jobs
Legal7 jobs
Computer and Mathematical20 jobs
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical62 jobs
Architecture and Engineering32 jobs
Life, Physical, and Social Science39 jobs
Business and Financial Operations30 jobs
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media30 jobs
Educational Instruction and Library58 jobs
Construction and Extraction38 jobs
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair39 jobs
Community and Social Service16 jobs
Protective Service20 jobs
Sales and Related18 jobs
Office and Administrative Support52 jobs
Production87 jobs
Transportation and Material Moving34 jobs
Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance9 jobs
Personal Care and Service25 jobs
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry5 jobs
Healthcare Support17 jobs
Food Preparation and Serving Related15 jobs

Jobs paid by the hour in Boston

For 2 jobs in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area BLS publishes an hourly wage only, because the work is rarely full-time all year (gigs, seasons, performances). An annual figure would overstate what most people earn, so we show the hourly rate.

JobAverage per hourMedian per hourJobs
Musicians and Singers$54.84$38.18540
Entertainers and Performers, Sports and Related Workers, All Other$18.07$16.61120

Average salary in nearby cities

Average salary in Massachusetts

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Salary in Boston: questions

What is a good salary in Boston?

Half of all workers in the Boston metro earn less than $66,620 and the average is $89,620. Earning more than $106,230 puts you in the top quarter of local wages.

How much do you need to earn in Boston to match a $69,770 salary elsewhere?

About $75,537, because prices here are 8% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 108.3).

What are the highest-paying jobs in Boston?

Radiologists ($400,990), Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric ($368,470), Emergency Medicine Physicians ($367,120).

What is the average salary in Cambridge?

Cambridge is part of the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, where the average salary is $89,620 a year and the median $66,620. BLS does not publish separate wage figures for Cambridge, so these metro figures are the closest official guide.

What is the average salary in Newton?

Newton is part of the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, where the average salary is $89,620 a year and the median $66,620. BLS does not publish separate wage figures for Newton, so these metro figures are the closest official guide.

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