Is Massachusetts a good state for your salary to go far?

Massachusetts ranks #8 of 51 states on the Gera US Real Pay Index, with a mean index of 104.7 across 370 occupations (100 = the average state). Its 2024 BEA cost of living is 105.8 (US = 100), and its 2025 state income tax schedule is applied to each occupation's median wage.

What is the cost of living in Massachusetts?

Massachusetts's Regional Price Parity (All Items) for 2024 is 105.8, where the US average is 100. That is above the national average, so a dollar buys less than it does nationally. The Gera US Real Pay Index divides take-home pay by this figure to express salaries in purchasing-power-equivalent dollars.

GeraJobs / US Real Pay Index / Massachusetts

Where Your Salary Goes Furthest in Massachusetts

Massachusetts ranks #8 of 51 states on the Gera US Real Pay Index (mean 104.7, base = 100). Cost of living 105.8 (US = 100); top income tax 9.00%.

Does a salary go further in Massachusetts? (cost of living + state tax)

In Massachusetts, the cost of living is 105.8 on the BEA index (US = 100) and the Gera US Real Pay Index averages 104.7 across 370 occupations, ranking it #8 of 51 states for how far pay goes after 2025 state income tax and 2024 BEA cost of living. Real BLS OEWS; re-dated annually.

Source:U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)·As of May 2025 state estimates · updated annually · last refreshed 19 June 2026

Gera US Real Pay Index

Massachusetts ranks #8 of 51 states. Mean across 370 occupations; 100 = the average state, 104.7 means pay goes 4.7% further after tax and cost of living.

How this is calculated

104.7

Real pay by occupation in Massachusetts (best first)

Occupation	BLS median	Real pay	Index
Glaziers	$100,810	$90,764	160.7
Structural Iron and Steel Workers	$120,840	$108,757	156.1
Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers	$103,410	$93,100	137.5
Teachers and Instructors, All Other	$100,610	$90,585	136.8
Brickmasons and Blockmasons	$94,950	$85,500	132.7
Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers	$103,410	$93,100	131.6
Correctional Officers and Jailers	$86,310	$77,739	131.4
Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors	$64,620	$58,255	128.3
Tutors	$60,900	$54,914	127.3
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists	$101,810	$91,662	126.8
Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians	$105,580	$95,049	126.8
Opticians, Dispensing	$67,210	$60,582	125.8
Home Appliance Repairers	$70,750	$63,762	125.7
Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School	$98,020	$88,258	125.5
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education	$94,000	$84,647	125.3
Financial Managers	$206,760	$185,938	125.0
Lodging Managers	$97,350	$87,656	125.0
Management Analysts	$134,720	$121,225	124.9
Sales Managers	$191,200	$171,960	124.8
Managers, All Other	$182,950	$164,549	124.8
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters	$93,880	$84,539	124.2
First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers	$115,150	$103,646	124.0
Bus Drivers, School	$65,170	$58,749	123.9
Property Appraisers and Assessors	$91,750	$82,626	123.6
Chemists	$125,000	$112,494	123.2
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education	$95,260	$85,779	123.0
Motorboat Mechanics and Service Technicians	$74,160	$66,825	122.7
Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School	$91,350	$82,266	122.4
Crane and Tower Operators	$98,150	$88,375	122.3
Loan Officers	$101,600	$91,474	120.4
Computer and Information Systems Managers	$214,960	$193,304	120.3
First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers	$105,930	$95,363	120.3
Roofers	$72,750	$65,558	120.0
Lawyers	$176,680	$158,917	119.9
Human Resources Managers	$181,780	$163,498	119.6
Photographers	$57,990	$52,300	119.5
Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners	$75,740	$68,244	119.0
Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education	$84,100	$75,754	118.8
Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education	$89,450	$80,560	118.5
Food Service Managers	$92,240	$83,066	118.5

Showing the 40 highest real-pay occupations of 370 BLS publishes for Massachusetts. Real pay = BLS median − 2025 state income tax, divided by the 2024 BEA cost of living (105.8, US = 100).

Where does your salary go furthest?

Enter a salary and a state. We adjust for 2025 state income tax and the 2024 BEA cost of living to show your real, purchasing-power-equivalent pay — then rank every state.

Gross annual salary (USD)Compare against state

In Massachusetts, a $85,000 salary is worth about $73,139 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.

State income tax $7,650 (≈ top marginal 9.00% (upper bound)) · take-home $77,350 · BEA cost of living 105.8 (US = 100).

The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $95,952, a $22,813 gain over Massachusetts.

#	State	Real value	Cost (RPP)
1	South Dakota	$95,952	88.6
2	Arkansas	$93,959	86.9
3	Louisiana	$93,473	88.2
4	Mississippi	$93,453	87.0
5	Iowa	$93,172	87.8
6	North Dakota	$93,161	89.0
7	Tennessee	$92,522	91.9
8	Oklahoma	$92,167	87.8
9	Wyoming	$91,703	92.7
10	Alabama	$90,911	88.8
11	Kentucky	$90,507	90.2
12	West Virginia	$90,397	89.5

Browse US jobs with salaries

Estimate only. State income tax is approximated from each state's 2025 flat rate (or top marginal rate as an upper bound for graduated states) and ignores federal tax, deductions and credits. The pre-published occupation and state pages use exact 2025 bracket math. Cost of living is the 2024 BEA Regional Price Parity (All Items).

Massachusetts real pay — FAQ

Is Massachusetts a good state for your salary to go far?: Massachusetts ranks #8 of 51 states on the Gera US Real Pay Index, with a mean index of 104.7 across 370 occupations (100 = the average state). Its 2024 BEA cost of living is 105.8 (US = 100), and its 2025 state income tax schedule is applied to each occupation's median wage.
What is the cost of living in Massachusetts?: Massachusetts's Regional Price Parity (All Items) for 2024 is 105.8, where the US average is 100. That is above the national average, so a dollar buys less than it does nationally. The Gera US Real Pay Index divides take-home pay by this figure to express salaries in purchasing-power-equivalent dollars.

Compare other states

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Related on GeraJobs

Gera US Real Pay Index — all states ranked
Methodology — the exact BLS + BEA + tax computation.
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Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (May 2025 state estimates); U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities (All Items), by state (2024 (US = 100)); Tax Foundation — 2025 State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets. The Gera US Real Pay Index for Massachusetts is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.