Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH

Each occupation's median wage in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH compared against the national median for the same occupation. Unlike a cost-of-living adjustment — which scales every job in a state by the same constant and so cannot change their order — this genuinely re-ranks, and it shows where Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

Cost of living: prices in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH run 8.3% above the national average (2024), so a Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH salary is worth about 0.92× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order.

Local wage estimates are suppressed more often than state ones — BLS withholds any figure too few local employers report — so an occupation missing here simply has no published local estimate.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH

OccupationMedian, Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH · vs. national

1Structural Iron and Steel Workers$120,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$81,000 – $128,600+92.5%
2Natural Sciences Managers$291,000
Bachelor's degree
$164,570 – $330,050+74.0%
3Brickmasons and Blockmasons$96,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$62,720 – $136,870+56.1%
4Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$98,060
Bachelor's degree
$61,660 – $124,880+53.3%
5Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary$164,450
Doctoral or professional degree
$77,240 – $343,190+53.2%
6Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School$101,250
Bachelor's degree
$77,580 – $121,300+52.8%
7Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$96,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,270 – $143,950+51.7%
8Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers$106,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$63,350 – $181,430+51.5%
9Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$128,070
Doctoral or professional degree
$64,710 – $296,690+51.3%
10Correctional Officers and Jailers$89,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$65,030 – $101,620+51.1%
11Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$97,410
Bachelor's degree
$62,150 – $127,210+49.6%
12Tutors$64,710
Some college, no degree
$36,360 – $101,550+49.3%
13Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$94,170
Bachelor's degree
$60,670 – $109,550+46.3%
14First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$122,870
High school diploma or equivalent
$65,240 – $173,030+40.4%
15Chemists$127,290
Bachelor's degree
$71,120 – $212,220+39.5%
16Sales Managers$206,610
Bachelor's degree
$106,220 – $323,670+39.3%
17Microbiologists$122,350
Bachelor's degree
$75,990 – $163,790+39.0%
18Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$103,090
High school diploma or equivalent
$57,830 – $113,310+38.7%
19Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors$65,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,120 – $105,390+38.2%
20Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$98,850
Bachelor's degree
$62,080 – $124,620+37.2%
21Construction Managers$156,470
Bachelor's degree
$105,860 – $217,860+36.1%
22Bus Drivers, School$65,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,580 – $72,480+36.0%
23Opticians, Dispensing$64,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,010 – $83,570+35.8%
24Loan Officers$103,400
Bachelor's degree
$65,120 – $204,820+34.8%
25Construction Laborers$63,420
No formal educational credential
$46,460 – $99,410+34.6%
26Sheet Metal Workers$82,550
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,210 – $121,060+33.6%
27Food Service Managers$92,650
High school diploma or equivalent
$61,870 – $132,730+33.5%
28Management Analysts$135,640
Bachelor's degree
$83,380 – $218,830+33.2%
29Postsecondary Teachers, All Other$103,340
Doctoral or professional degree
$64,220 – $287,670+33.1%
30Art Directors$151,820
Bachelor's degree
$80,680 – $218,270+32.2%
31Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers$78,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,950 – $103,830+30.8%
32Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$104,590
Associate's degree
$78,650 – $133,300+30.6%
33Insurance Underwriters$106,170
Bachelor's degree
$74,230 – $169,360+30.5%
34Cost Estimators$102,640
Bachelor's degree
$63,200 – $157,200+30.4%
35Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$81,700
Bachelor's degree
$58,900 – $107,570+30.3%
36Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$102,390
Bachelor's degree
$59,730 – $167,440+30.0%
37Child, Family, and School Social Workers$77,420
Bachelor's degree
$49,970 – $108,810+30.0%
38Managers, All Other$184,250
Bachelor's degree
$114,920 – $309,990+29.8%
39Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists$123,910
Associate's degree
$61,510 – $149,430+29.8%
40Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria$48,530
No formal educational credential
$39,890 – $59,090+29.6%
41Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary$82,420
Bachelor's degree
$53,670 – $122,820+29.1%
42Court, Municipal, and License Clerks$62,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,860 – $86,190+29.1%
43Compliance Officers$103,940
Bachelor's degree
$65,040 – $162,390+28.8%
44Advertising Sales Agents$83,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,330 – $135,140+28.8%
45Fundraising Managers$161,500
Bachelor's degree
$96,120 – $302,110+28.7%
46Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents$101,200
Bachelor's degree
$50,790 – $225,070+28.7%
47Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$78,530
Postsecondary nondegree award
$50,890 – $103,050+28.7%
48Library Technicians$57,330
Postsecondary nondegree award
$39,430 – $71,650+28.6%
49Massage Therapists$75,160
Postsecondary nondegree award
$46,430 – $104,710+28.6%
50Insurance Sales Agents$80,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,620 – $163,380+28.6%

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianBoston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Structural Iron and Steel WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$120,840	$81,000 – $128,600	+92.5%
2	Natural Sciences ManagersBachelor's degree	$291,000	$164,570 – $330,050	+74.0%
3	Brickmasons and BlockmasonsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$96,960	$62,720 – $136,870	+56.1%
4	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$98,060	$61,660 – $124,880	+53.3%
5	Health Specialties Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$164,450	$77,240 – $343,190	+53.2%
6	Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$101,250	$77,580 – $121,300	+52.8%
7	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$96,760	$52,270 – $143,950	+51.7%
8	Property, Real Estate, and Community Association ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$106,050	$63,350 – $181,430	+51.5%
9	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$128,070	$64,710 – $296,690	+51.3%
10	Correctional Officers and JailersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$89,060	$65,030 – $101,620	+51.1%
11	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$97,410	$62,150 – $127,210	+49.6%
12	TutorsSome college, no degree	$64,710	$36,360 – $101,550	+49.3%
13	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$94,170	$60,670 – $109,550	+46.3%
14	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$122,870	$65,240 – $173,030	+40.4%
15	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$127,290	$71,120 – $212,220	+39.5%
16	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$206,610	$106,220 – $323,670	+39.3%
17	MicrobiologistsBachelor's degree	$122,350	$75,990 – $163,790	+39.0%
18	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$103,090	$57,830 – $113,310	+38.7%
19	Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness InstructorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,190	$36,120 – $105,390	+38.2%
20	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$98,850	$62,080 – $124,620	+37.2%
21	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$156,470	$105,860 – $217,860	+36.1%
22	Bus Drivers, SchoolHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,170	$44,580 – $72,480	+36.0%
23	Opticians, DispensingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,170	$49,010 – $83,570	+35.8%
24	Loan OfficersBachelor's degree	$103,400	$65,120 – $204,820	+34.8%
25	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$63,420	$46,460 – $99,410	+34.6%
26	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,550	$43,210 – $121,060	+33.6%
27	Food Service ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$92,650	$61,870 – $132,730	+33.5%
28	Management AnalystsBachelor's degree	$135,640	$83,380 – $218,830	+33.2%
29	Postsecondary Teachers, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$103,340	$64,220 – $287,670	+33.1%
30	Art DirectorsBachelor's degree	$151,820	$80,680 – $218,270	+32.2%
31	Security and Fire Alarm Systems InstallersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,560	$48,950 – $103,830	+30.8%
32	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$104,590	$78,650 – $133,300	+30.6%
33	Insurance UnderwritersBachelor's degree	$106,170	$74,230 – $169,360	+30.5%
34	Cost EstimatorsBachelor's degree	$102,640	$63,200 – $157,200	+30.4%
35	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$81,700	$58,900 – $107,570	+30.3%
36	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$102,390	$59,730 – $167,440	+30.0%
37	Child, Family, and School Social WorkersBachelor's degree	$77,420	$49,970 – $108,810	+30.0%
38	Managers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$184,250	$114,920 – $309,990	+29.8%
39	Magnetic Resonance Imaging TechnologistsAssociate's degree	$123,910	$61,510 – $149,430	+29.8%
40	Cooks, Institution and CafeteriaNo formal educational credential	$48,530	$39,890 – $59,090	+29.6%
41	Career/Technical Education Teachers, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$82,420	$53,670 – $122,820	+29.1%
42	Court, Municipal, and License ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,850	$47,860 – $86,190	+29.1%
43	Compliance OfficersBachelor's degree	$103,940	$65,040 – $162,390	+28.8%
44	Advertising Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$83,470	$45,330 – $135,140	+28.8%
45	Fundraising ManagersBachelor's degree	$161,500	$96,120 – $302,110	+28.7%
46	Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales AgentsBachelor's degree	$101,200	$50,790 – $225,070	+28.7%
47	Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$78,530	$50,890 – $103,050	+28.7%
48	Library TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$57,330	$39,430 – $71,650	+28.6%
49	Massage TherapistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$75,160	$46,430 – $104,710	+28.6%
50	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,120	$58,620 – $163,380	+28.6%

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The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH to rank honestly.

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH

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