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Average Salary in Massachusetts
This page shows what jobs actually pay in Massachusetts, occupation by occupation, from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey for May 2024. BLS publishes wage estimates for 669 occupations in Massachusetts. For context, the U.S. all-occupation mean annual wage in May 2024 was $67,920, the median wage was $23.80 an hour, and total U.S. employment covered by the survey was 154,187,380 jobs. Use the tables below to see Massachusetts's highest-paying occupations, its largest occupations, and which Massachusetts jobs pay more — or less — than the same job nationally.
Highest-paying occupations in Massachusetts
The highest-paying occupation BLS publishes for Massachusetts is surgeons, all other, with a mean annual wage of $239,200+ — 433.4% higher than the U.S. all-occupation mean of $67,920 — and a median wage of $239,200+ across 540 jobs. Compared with the same occupation nationally (mean $239,200+), Massachusetts pays 2.4% lower for this work. Next on the list are emergency medicine physicians at a mean of $239,200+ and chief executives at $239,200+. These top-paying fields are small: together the top three employ 8,400 people in Massachusetts, so they describe the top of the Massachusetts wage ladder rather than the typical worker's experience.
| Occupation | Employment | Median hourly | Median annual | Mean annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Surgeons, All Other | 540 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Emergency Medicine Physicians | 750 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Chief Executives | 7,110 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Obstetricians and Gynecologists | 560 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric | 610 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric | 200 | $92.88 | $193,200 | $239,200+ |
| Family Medicine Physicians | 3,550 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Nurse Anesthetists | 610 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Physicians, Pathologists | 270 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Neurologists | 290 | $112.82 | $234,660 | $239,200+ |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | 2,010 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Psychiatrists | 1,210 | $106.33 | $221,160 | $239,200+ |
| Pediatricians, General | 2,980 | $102.51 | $213,230 | $235,000 |
| Natural Sciences Managers | 8,880 | $105.19 | $218,800 | $229,780 |
| Physicians, All Other | 7,890 | $103.93 | $216,170 | $221,670 |
Largest occupations in Massachusetts
The occupation with the most jobs in Massachusetts is home health and personal care aides, employing an estimated 108,090 people at a median annual wage of $39,520 and a mean of $40,540. Nationally the same occupation pays a median of $34,900, so Massachusetts's typical pay for this work runs 13.2% higher. The next-largest occupations are general and operations managers (105,350 jobs, median $123,850) and registered nurses (90,190 jobs, median $101,970). Because these occupations are so large, their wages move the overall picture of Massachusetts pay far more than the small, highly paid fields above.
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual | Mean annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 108,090 | $39,520 | $40,540 |
| General and Operations Managers | 105,350 | $123,850 | $154,280 |
| Registered Nurses | 90,190 | $101,970 | $112,610 |
| Retail Salespersons | 86,410 | $36,320 | $40,530 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 81,770 | $35,060 | $35,970 |
| Cashiers | 62,060 | $34,800 | $36,060 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 56,160 | $44,570 | $44,740 |
| Customer Service Representatives | 54,660 | $48,060 | $51,850 |
| Software Developers | 54,260 | $150,520 | $153,650 |
| Office Clerks, General | 50,180 | $48,890 | $51,790 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 50,160 | $36,390 | $44,550 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 48,880 | $37,980 | $40,570 |
| Accountants and Auditors | 45,520 | $96,580 | $102,030 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 39,170 | $75,240 | $78,360 |
| Nursing Assistants | 38,280 | $45,410 | $46,130 |
Where Massachusetts pays a premium — and where it lags
Comparing each occupation's Massachusetts median with its own national median shows where Massachusetts's labor market is strong. Among occupations with at least 1,000 Massachusetts jobs, the largest premium is for structural iron and steel workers: a median of $116,630 in Massachusetts versus $62,700 nationally, 86.0% higher. The largest discount is for engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other, at $65,890 in Massachusetts versus $77,390 nationally, 14.9% lower. In total, 351 of the 392 occupations with 1,000 or more Massachusetts jobs pay a median above their national median. Separately, 332 of the 669 occupations published for Massachusetts have a median annual wage above the U.S. all-occupation mean of $67,920, which underlines how much of Massachusetts's job base sits in lower-wage service work even in a state with high-paying headline jobs.
| Occupation | Massachusetts median | U.S. median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Structural Iron and Steel Workers | $116,630 | $62,700 | +86.0% |
| Glaziers | $101,570 | $55,440 | +83.2% |
| Brickmasons and Blockmasons | $94,370 | $60,800 | +55.2% |
| Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians | $101,980 | $67,260 | +51.6% |
| Chemists | $126,970 | $84,150 | +50.9% |
| Clinical and Counseling Psychologists | $87,060 | $95,830 | -9.2% |
| Physicians, All Other | $216,170 | $239,200 | -9.6% |
| Food Batchmakers | $36,460 | $40,790 | -10.6% |
| Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders | $49,420 | $57,090 | -13.4% |
| Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other | $65,890 | $77,390 | -14.9% |
Massachusetts salary FAQ
What is the highest-paying job in Massachusetts?
By average pay, surgeons, all other is the highest-paying occupation BLS publishes for Massachusetts, with a mean annual wage of $239,200+ and a median of $239,200+ in May 2024.
What is the average salary in Massachusetts?
For context, the U.S. all-occupation mean annual wage was $67,920 in May 2024. In Massachusetts, the largest occupation, home health and personal care aides, paid a median of $39,520 across 108,090 jobs, and the tables on this page show mean and median pay for all 669 published occupations.
How many jobs does the largest occupation in Massachusetts have?
Home Health and Personal Care Aides is the largest occupation published for Massachusetts, with an estimated 108,090 jobs in May 2024 and a mean annual wage of $40,540.
Which occupations pay more in Massachusetts than in the U.S. overall?
Among occupations with at least 1,000 Massachusetts jobs, structural iron and steel workers shows the largest premium: a median of $116,630 in Massachusetts versus $62,700 nationally, 86.0% higher.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Figures checked October 2026.