Massachusetts Average Salary 2026
Average pay, top-paying occupations, and cost of living across Massachusetts.
The average salary in Massachusetts is $129,162 as of 2026, based on Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS 2025 data aggregated across 1 metropolitan areas (Boston). The highest-paying tracked occupation in the state is Family Medicine Physician at $284,010 median; 52 occupations pay six-figure ($100K+) medians. Adjusted for the state's average cost-of-living index of 152, the average median equates to $84,975 of purchasing power in an average-cost U.S. metro.
Massachusetts has 1 metropolitan areas in our BLS OEWS coverage. Wages within the state vary substantially by metro — large coastal cities typically pay materially more than smaller inland ones, though the cost-of-living gap closes a lot of the apparent difference. BLS OEWS data captures every metropolitan statistical area (MSA) above a population threshold. Cities below that threshold roll up to non-metropolitan areas, which are not represented in the per-metro view but are captured in state-level rollups.
For workers comparing Massachusetts job markets, the per-metro pages give the role-specific breakdown that headline state averages obscure. The role-specific ranking pages — which list the highest-paying cities for a single occupation — are particularly useful when geographic flexibility is real and the role is the constraint.
Top 10 Highest-Paying Jobs in Massachusetts
Family Medicine Physician
Healthcare · 2,950 jobs in state · top metro: Boston ($284,010)
Obstetrician/Gynecologist
Healthcare · 500 jobs in state · top metro: Boston ($235,460)
Pediatrician
Healthcare · 1,860 jobs in state · top metro: Boston ($221,170)
Computer and Information Systems Manager
Technology · 20,530 jobs in state · top metro: Boston ($214,960)
Marketing Manager
Management · 11,940 jobs in state · top metro: Boston ($213,910)
Financial Manager
Finance · 21,650 jobs in state · top metro: Boston ($209,780)
Sales Manager
Management · 11,540 jobs in state · top metro: Boston ($206,610)
Human Resources Manager
Management · 6,480 jobs in state · top metro: Boston ($184,990)
Lawyer
Legal · 20,080 jobs in state · top metro: Boston ($183,350)
Dentist
Healthcare · 1,920 jobs in state · top metro: Boston ($181,150)
Cities in Massachusetts
Frequently Asked Questions
The average salary in Massachusetts is $129,162 as of 2026, based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics' OEWS 2025 release aggregated across 1 BLS-tracked metros. The figure is employment-weighted, so larger occupations contribute proportionally more to the average. The top-paying role in the state is Family Medicine Physician at $284,010 median.
The top five highest-paying occupations in Massachusetts, ranked by employment-weighted median across all tracked metros, are Family Medicine Physician ($284,010), Obstetrician/Gynecologist ($235,460), Pediatrician ($221,170), Computer and Information Systems Manager ($214,960), Marketing Manager ($213,910). See the full ranking at /ranking/highest-paying-jobs/state/massachusetts.
52 of the 65 BLS-tracked occupations in Massachusetts have a state-aggregated median salary of $100,000 or higher. That places this state in the upper tier nationally.
Boston, MA leads Massachusetts with an average median salary of $129,162 across 65 BLS-tracked occupations.
The average cost-of-living index across Massachusetts's tracked metros is 152 (national avg = 100). The state average median of $129,162 translates to $84,975 of purchasing power in an average-cost U.S. metro. The high COL absorbs much of the nominal pay premium.
State aggregates are employment-weighted across the BLS-tracked metros in Massachusetts, using the OEWS 2025 reference period.
65 data points · BLS OEWS 2025 · last refreshed 2026-05-21
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2026.