Desktop Publishers pay range in Boston
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $49,820 a year or less, while the top 10% make $92,960 or more. The middle half of desktop publishers in Boston earn between $51,200 and $86,670.
- $50K10th
- $51K25th
- $81KMedian
- $87K75th
- $93K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $71,350 | $5,946 | $34.30 |
| Median | $80,960 | $6,747 | $38.92 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $51,200 | $4,267 | $24.62 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $86,670 | $7,222 | $41.67 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Desktop Publishers salary after taxes in Boston
On the average salary of $71,350, a single filer in Boston takes home about $55,777 a year, or $4,648 a month and $2,145 every two weeks. Taxes take 22% 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:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in NH | $59,025 | $4,919 |
| Working in MA | $55,777 | $4,648 |
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.
Is Boston a good place for desktop publishers? 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 $71,350 buys what about $65,902 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.2 times the median wage of all jobs in Boston ($66,620). A typical home costs $741,868, or 10.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Desktop Publishers salary in nearby metro areas
- New York, NY$73,830
- Baltimore, MD$63,180
- Washington, DC$71,360
- Indianapolis, IN$52,530
- Chicago, IL$61,730
- Atlanta, GA$56,880
Highest-paying cities for desktop publishers
San Francisco, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($89,920).
- San Francisco, CA$89,920
- Los Angeles, CA$82,020
- Denver, CO$76,270
- Sacramento, CA$75,730
- New York, NY$73,830
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Desktop Publishers salary in Boston: questions
How much do desktop publishers make an hour in Boston?
$34.30 an hour on average, and $38.92 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level desktop publishers salary in Boston?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $49,820 a year and the 25th percentile is $51,200, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the desktop publishers take-home pay in Boston?
About $55,777 a year ($4,648 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $71,350. Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave premiums are not included.
Do desktop publishers earn more in Boston than elsewhere?
The average here is 9% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($65,516).
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 43-9031; area Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH (14460). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 6.2%.
- 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 1.02, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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