SOC 19-2099 · Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro

Physical Scientists, All Other Salary in Boston, MA

The average salary for other physical scientists in Boston, Massachusetts is $137,800 a year ($66.25 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $137,050: half of the 350 people in this job in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is about the same as the U.S. metro average for this job ($133,915).

$137,800average per year

$66.25 / hourMedian $137,050Take-home ≈ $98,882

  • $75K10th
  • $104K25th
  • $137KMedian
  • $159K75th
  • $201K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

350people in this job
+3%vs U.S. metro average
108cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Physical Scientists, All Other pay range in Boston

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $74,590 a year or less, while the top 10% make $201,090 or more. The middle half of other physical scientists in Boston earn between $103,710 and $158,650.

  • $75K10th
  • $104K25th
  • $137KMedian
  • $159K75th
  • $201K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$137,800$11,483$66.25
Median$137,050$11,421$65.89
Entry level (25th percentile)$103,710$8,642$49.86
Experienced (75th percentile)$158,650$13,221$76.27

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.

Physical Scientists, All Other salary after taxes in Boston

On the average salary of $137,800, a single filer in Boston takes home about $98,882 a year, or $8,240 a month and $3,803 every two weeks. Taxes take 28% 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:

StatePer yearPer month
Working in NH$105,452$8,788
Working in MA$98,882$8,240

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.

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Is Boston a good place for other physical scientists? 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 $137,800 buys what about $127,279 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Boston ($66,620). A typical home costs $741,868, or 5.4 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $137,800 is worth in another city

Physical Scientists, All Other salary in nearby metro areas

Highest-paying cities for other physical scientists

San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($177,370).

Physical Scientists, All Other salary by city

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Reviewed before it counts. Physical Scientists, All Other in Boston, MA.

Physical Scientists, All Other salary in Boston: questions

How much do other physical scientists make an hour in Boston?

$66.25 an hour on average, and $65.89 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level other physical scientists salary in Boston?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $74,590 a year and the 25th percentile is $103,710, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the other physical scientists take-home pay in Boston?

About $98,882 a year ($8,240 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $137,800. Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave premiums are not included.

Do other physical scientists earn more in Boston than elsewhere?

The average here is about the same as the U.S. metro average for this job ($133,915).

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 19-2099; area Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH (14460). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 5.7%.
  • 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 0.89, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.

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