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Jobs in Massachusetts: pay, hiring and what a paycheck buys

Massachusetts has 7,057 open job postings from 654 employers in our data. 56.6% list a pay range, the median posted pay is $155,000 a year, 5.8% are remote and 21.4% have been open more than 60 days (data as of October 2026).

What stands out

Paycheck power: typical official wage, adjusted for local pricesMedian wage for all jobs divided by the local price level, October 2026. Higher means a paycheck goes further.Paycheck power: typical official wage, adjusted for local pricesMassachusettsMassachusetts Official median wage: $63,500 Price level: 105.8 Paycheck power: $60,000$60,000WashingtonWashington Official median wage: $63,000 Price level: 107 Paycheck power: $59,000 Click for the full page$59,000VirginiaVirginia Official median wage: $55,500 Price level: 101.1 Paycheck power: $55,000 Click for the full page$55,000New JerseyNew Jersey Official median wage: $58,500 Price level: 108.8 Paycheck power: $54,000 Click for the full page$54,000TennesseeTennessee Official median wage: $47,500 Price level: 91.9 Paycheck power: $51,500 Click for the full page$51,500IndianaIndiana Official median wage: $48,000 Price level: 93.3 Paycheck power: $51,500 Click for the full page$51,500MichiganMichigan Official median wage: $49,500 Price level: 96.2 Paycheck power: $51,000 Click for the full page$51,000ArizonaArizona Official median wage: $50,000 Price level: 100.7 Paycheck power: $49,500 Click for the full page$49,500Source: Second Summit, October 2026; BLS; BEA; Census
Massachusetts compared with similar-sized states: the median wage divided by the local price level (US average prices = 100). Download this chart (SVG)
7,057open postings from 654 employers
56.6%list a pay range
$155,000median posted pay
$63,500official median wage, all jobs (BLS)
4.4%unemployment rate, 2026-08 (BLS)
129,000job openings, 2025-12 (BLS JOLTS), rate 3.4%

Pay transparency

Massachusetts requires employers to include a pay range in job postings (since 2025).

Metro areas in Massachusetts

Metro areaPostingsPay listedMedian posted pay
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH5,96259.8%$159,000
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA26026.3%$80,000

What your paycheck buys here

Prices in Massachusetts run 6% above the national average, and housing runs 28% above it. The official median wage for all jobs is $63,500, which is worth $60,000 in average-US dollars. The median posted pay of $155,000 is worth $146,500.

What things cost here (US average = 100)BEA regional price parities for the Massachusetts metro area, 2024.What things cost here (US average = 100)All itemsAll items: 105.8 6% above the US average (100)105.8HousingHousing: 128.1 28% above the US average (100)128.1GoodsGoods: 98.8 1% below the US average (100)98.8UtilitiesUtilities: 152.1 52% above the US average (100)152.1Other servicesOther services: 102.9 3% above the US average (100)102.9Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, 2024
Local prices compared with the national average, where 100 is the US average. Download this chart (SVG)
The area's biggest jobs and what they payOfficial median annual wage for the ten largest occupations in Massachusetts, May 2025.The area's biggest jobs and what they payHome Health and Personal Care (117.9k)Home Health and Personal Care Aides 117,940 workers Median wage: $41,000$41,000General and Operations Manager (95.9k)General and Operations Managers 95,880 workers Median wage: $127,000$127,000Registered Nurses (88.2k)Registered Nurses 88,200 workers Median wage: $104,500$104,500Retail Salespersons (86.9k)Retail Salespersons 86,860 workers Median wage: $36,500$36,500Fast Food and Counter Workers (85.8k)Fast Food and Counter Workers 85,810 workers Median wage: $36,000$36,000Cashiers (58.9k)Cashiers 58,880 workers Median wage: $35,500$35,500Janitors and Cleaners, Except (55.5k)Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 55,490 workers Median wage: $45,500$45,500Waiters and Waitresses (54.7k)Waiters and Waitresses 54,670 workers Median wage: $38,500$38,500Customer Service Representativ (50k)Customer Service Representatives 49,990 workers Median wage: $49,000$49,000Stockers and Order Fillers (49.8k)Stockers and Order Fillers 49,760 workers Median wage: $37,500$37,500Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
Median wages for the ten occupations with the most workers here (worker count in parentheses). Download this chart (SVG)
Official wage vs posted pay, same jobMedian official wage and median posted pay for the same jobs in Massachusetts.Official wage vs posted pay, same jobOfficial median wage (BLS)Median posted paySoftware developersSoftware developers Official median wage (BLS): $165,000 Median posted pay: $190,000 Median posted pay is 15% aboveSoftware developers Official median wage (BLS): $165,000 Median posted pay: $190,000 Median posted pay is 15% above$165,000 / $190,000HR specialistsHR specialists Official median wage (BLS): $85,500 Median posted pay: $147,500 Median posted pay is 72.3% aboveHR specialists Official median wage (BLS): $85,500 Median posted pay: $147,500 Median posted pay is 72.3% above$85,500 / $147,500Source: Second Summit, October 2026; BLS; BEA; Census
Official median wage next to the median pay in open postings for the same jobs. Download this chart (SVG)
Open postings by industry of the employerPostings by employer industry in Massachusetts.Open postings by industry of the employerHealthcare & Life SciencesHealthcare & Life Sciences 3,334 open postings 47.2% of this area's postings3,334Software & TechnologySoftware & Technology 1,063 open postings 15.1% of this area's postings1,063Manufacturing & IndustrialManufacturing & Industrial 620 open postings 8.8% of this area's postings620InsuranceInsurance 340 open postings 4.8% of this area's postings340Retail & E-commerceRetail & E-commerce 325 open postings 4.6% of this area's postings325Consulting & Professional ServicesConsulting & Professional Services 255 open postings 3.6% of this area's postings255EducationEducation 198 open postings 2.8% of this area's postings198Energy & UtilitiesEnergy & Utilities 194 open postings 2.7% of this area's postings194Source: Second Summit, October 2026; BLS; BEA; Census
Which industries have the most open postings in our data. Download this chart (SVG)

Employers with the most openings

  1. Mass General Brigham: 1,718 postings
  2. Baystatehealth: 355 postings
  3. State Street: 231 postings
  4. Andurilindustries: 198 postings
  5. Whoop: 167 postings

Federal government hiring

541 federal job announcements open to the public list Massachusetts, with a median posted salary range midpoint of $97,000. Agencies hiring most: Department of the Air Force Headquarters (133), Veterans Health Administration (52), Air Force Materiel Command (34), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (30), Air Force Civilian Career Training (20). Source: USAJOBS.

How it compares with similar-sized states

StatePay listedPosted payOfficial wagePricesPaycheck power
Massachusetts56.6%$155,000$63,500105.8$60,000
Washington58.8%$175,000$63,000107$59,000
Tennessee17.3%$91,500$47,50091.9$51,500
Arizona20.5%$120,000$50,000100.7$49,500
Virginia43.6%$135,000$55,500101.1$55,000
Indiana8.6%$101,500$48,00093.3$51,500
New Jersey42.6%$131,500$58,500108.8$54,000

Compare any states side by side

Download this data

Free to use with credit: Second Summit, October 2026. Data (CSV) · Data (JSON) · paycheck power chart (SVG) · posted vs official chart (SVG) · prices chart (SVG) · industries chart (SVG) · biggest jobs chart (SVG)

Related pages

A posting that lists several states counts in each. This covers employers whose career pages we read, not every job in Massachusetts. Methodology · All states (CSV)

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