SOC 15-2051.00

Data Scientist Salary in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH (2026)

Data updated · Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025, HUD FY 2027 Fair Market Rents, EPI 2026 Family Budget, 2026 tax tables · Methodology

Tax Tables: 2026 Fed + MA
COL Index: 162.67 (+62.7% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 67.8% Realized
$89,508 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $132,040 $63.48/hr
Effective Tax Drag 26.21% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 24% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$34,609 $1,331.12/check
Category 1 of 6

Wage Benchmarking & After-Tax Paycheck Engine

Dynamic statutory tax calculations based on IRS Publication 15-T and state statutory schedules.

$
2,080 annual statutory base hours $63.48 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$7,922/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$1,901/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$18,522
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$8,186
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$1,915
Massachusetts Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$5,986
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$89,508 ($3,442.63 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH Data Scientist Wage Distribution

Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Percentiles & Career Ladders

Your Salary: $132,040
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $82.0k 25th $103k Median: $132,040 50th (Median) $132k 75th $166k 90th $206k You: $132,040
10th (Entry) $82,030 $39.44/hr
25th (Junior) $102,720 $49.38/hr
50th (Median) $132,040 $63.48/hr
75th (Senior) $166,120 $79.87/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $206,220 $99.14/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Data Scientist in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH
1
Junior Data ScientistBachelor's degree (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$73,801$35.48/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Data ScientistDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities
$94,118$45.25/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Senior Data ScientistFull professional competence; leads projects or a small team
$132,007$63.46/hr · 5-9 Years
4
Staff / Lead Data ScientistOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$174,508$83.90/hr · 9-14 Years
5
Principal Data ScientistExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$218,657$105.12/hr · 14+ Years
Scaled to the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH medianView National Data Scientist Salary Data
Adjacent Career Pivots & National Pay Differences
Financial Specialists, All Other-$39,130/yr
National median: $81,100
Skill overlap: 95%
Statisticians-$14,580/yr
National median: $105,650
Skill overlap: 94%
Operations Research Analysts-$31,290/yr
National median: $88,940
Skill overlap: 91%View Salary
Statistical Assistants-$69,900/yr
National median: $50,330
Skill overlap: 88%
Category 3 of 6

HUD Fair Market Rent & EPI Living Wage Affordability Index

Evaluating housing affordability vs. net take-home pay in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
34% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $2,518/month Requires minimum annual gross of $100,720
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $3,008/month Requires minimum annual gross of $120,320
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $35.97/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $31.43/hr
Category 4 of 6

Hourly Wage to Annual & Overtime Matrix

Translating base hourly pay and 1.5× overtime into net take-home pay based on 2,080 annual work hours in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH.

Swipe horizontally to inspect full pay schedule
Schedule Total Hours/Wk Gross Annual Est. Taxes Net Take-Home Bi-Weekly Check
Standard (40 hrs)40 hrs$132,040-$34,609$89,508$3,442.63
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$156,798-$43,252$104,138$4,005.29
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$181,555-$51,895$118,767$4,567.96
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$206,313-$59,242$134,692$5,180.45
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$231,070-$66,573$150,633$5,793.58
Category 5 of 6

Interstate MSA Relocation & State Tax Migration Comparator

Calculate required compensation, cost-of-living differences, and annual state/local tax savings between two metropolitan areas.

Equivalent Salary in Austin, TX $83,505 Cost of Living Ratio: 69.6%
Annual State & Local Tax Delta +$8,331/yr Tax savings in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
Annual Rent Difference (1BR) -$17,676/yr Based on HUD Fair Market Rents
Net Discretionary Cash Flow Impact

Combining state tax savings and annual rent variance when relocating from San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA to Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX.

+$26,007/year
Category 6 of 6 · Executive Economic Briefing
2026 Fiscal Intelligence

Data Scientist in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

Estimates compiled from BLS OEWS wages, IRS 2026 withholding rules, HUD Fair Market Rents, and Massachusetts tax codes.

Market Baseline
$132,040/yr
$63.48/hr · SOC 15-2051.00
Statutory Tax Drag
26.21% Effective
-$34,609 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
34% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$4,941/mo
Post-$2,518/mo 1BR Rent

Key Economic & Compensation Takeaways

Statutory Withholding Architecture

Frequently Asked Questions

Verified Government Data Sources & Statutory Attribution

Wages sourced from US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS OEWS). Rents calibrated to HUD Fair Market Rents. Tax schedules calibrated to IRS IRC Title 26, IRS Pub 15-T, and state statutory revenue codes.

BLS OEWS May 2025 HUD FY2027 FMR IRS 15-T
Metro Pay Comparison SOC 15-2051.00
2026 Statutory Thresholds
  • Federal Standard Deduction (Single) $16,100
  • FICA OASDI Wage Base Cap $184,500
  • Pre-Tax 401(k) Elective Deferral $24,500
  • HSA Individual Annual Limit $4,400

Data Scientist in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH: Market Snapshot

Data Scientist roles in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH report a median annual wage of $132,040, 9.8% above the national median of $120,230. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $82,030 to $206,220, and HUD’s $2,518 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 22.9% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $35.97 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Data Scientist

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$185,080+40.2%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$170,110+28.8%
Idaho Falls, ID$167,840+27.1%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$164,740+24.8%
Kennewick-Richland, WA$156,830+18.8%
Charlottesville, VA$149,800+13.5%
North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL$146,980+11.3%
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT$141,760+7.4%
Corvallis, OR$140,190+6.2%
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$135,980+3.0%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Natural Sciences Managers$291,000$139.90/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$214,960$103.35/hr
Marketing Managers$213,910$102.84/hr
Financial Manager$209,780$100.86/hr
Sales Managers$206,610$99.33/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$205,130$98.62/hr
Compensation and Benefits Managers$185,590$89.23/hr
Human Resources Managers$184,990$88.94/hr
Public Relations Managers$176,390$84.80/hr
Purchasing Managers$174,640$83.96/hr

Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025, 282 metropolitan areas publishing this occupation; HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rents; EPI Family Budget Calculator. Taxes use 2026 federal and state rules. Data last updated .

Regional Labor Market & Career Mobility Network

Explore adjacent occupations and neighboring metropolitan wage benchmarks for peer compensation analysis.

Data Scientist Salary in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH (2026) Overview

Data Scientist median pay in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH is $132,040 a year ($63.48/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents. Official 2026 economic data for Data Scientist in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.

Quick answers
What is the median salary for a Data Scientist in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH?

The median annual wage is $132,040 ($63.48 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $82,030 and $206,220. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Data Scientist in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH after taxes?

On the median wage of $132,040, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $95,133 a year ($7,928 a month) after $36,907 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 27.95%, using 2026 tax rules.