SOC 19-2042 · Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro

Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers Salary in Boston, MA

The average salary for geoscientists (except hydrologists and geographers) in Boston, Massachusetts is $118,500 a year ($56.97 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $102,730: half of the 240 people in this job in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is about the same as the U.S. average for this job ($116,150).

$118,500average per year

$56.97 / hourMedian $102,730Take-home ≈ $86,590

  • $77K10th
  • $81K25th
  • $103KMedian
  • $143K75th
  • $179K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

240people in this job
+2%vs U.S. average
108cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers pay range in Boston

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $77,330 a year or less, while the top 10% make $179,480 or more. The middle half of geoscientists (except hydrologists and geographers) in Boston earn between $80,640 and $143,210.

  • $77K10th
  • $81K25th
  • $103KMedian
  • $143K75th
  • $179K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$118,500$9,875$56.97
Median$102,730$8,561$49.39
Entry level (25th percentile)$80,640$6,720$38.77
Experienced (75th percentile)$143,210$11,934$68.85

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.

Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers pay in Boston vs. Massachusetts and the U.S.

Geoscientists (except hydrologists and geographers) in Boston earn 11% less than the Massachusetts average ($133,880) and about the same as the U.S. average ($116,150). At the median the gap is +1% against the U.S. median of $101,920.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Boston$118,500$102,730$77,330$179,480240
Massachusetts$133,880$108,210$80,370$227,230420
United States$116,150$101,920$59,330$200,23023,470

State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.

Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers salary after taxes in Boston

On the average salary of $118,500, a single filer in Boston takes home about $86,590 a year, or $7,216 a month and $3,330 every two weeks. Taxes take 27% of gross pay.

The Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:

StatePer yearPer month
Working in NH$92,195$7,683
Working in MA$86,590$7,216

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.

Massachusetts paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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Is Boston a good place for geoscientists (except hydrologists and geographers)? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Boston area are 8% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 108.3), so the average $118,500 buys what about $109,453 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.5 times the median wage of all jobs in Boston ($66,620). A typical home costs $741,868, or 6.3 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $118,500 is worth in another city

Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers salary in nearby metro areas

Highest-paying cities for geoscientists (except hydrologists and geographers)

Midland, TX pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($192,880).

Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers salary by city

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Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers salary in Boston: questions

How much do geoscientists (except hydrologists and geographers) make an hour in Boston?

$56.97 an hour on average, and $49.39 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level geoscientists (except hydrologists and geographers) salary in Boston?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $77,330 a year and the 25th percentile is $80,640, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the geoscientists (except hydrologists and geographers) take-home pay in Boston?

About $86,590 a year ($7,216 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $118,500. Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave premiums are not included.

Do geoscientists (except hydrologists and geographers) earn more in Boston than elsewhere?

The average here is about the same as the U.S. average for this job ($116,150).

Sources and how to read this page

  • Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 19-2042; area Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH (14460). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 5.6%.
  • U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
  • Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
  • Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
  • Take-home pay: 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.
  • Job concentration: location quotient 0.58, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.58).

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