SOC 29-1141

Registered Nurse (RN) Salary in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH

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 69.5% Realized
$73,788 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $106,180 $51.05/hr
Effective Tax Drag 24.51% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 22% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$26,021 $1,000.82/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 $51.05 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$6,371/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$1,402/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$13,128
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$6,583
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$1,540
Massachusetts Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$4,770
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$73,788 ($2,838.00 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH Registered Nurse (RN) Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $106,180
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $81.9k 25th $94.9k Median: $106,180 50th (Median) $106k 75th $153k 90th $189k You: $106,180
10th (Entry) $81,880 $39.37/hr
25th (Junior) $94,870 $45.61/hr
50th (Median) $106,180 $51.05/hr
75th (Senior) $153,380 $73.74/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $188,670 $90.71/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Registered Nurse (RN) in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH
1
Staff Nurse (Med-Surg RN)ADN or BSN, passing NCLEX-RN exam, state licensing
$75,648$36.37/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Specialty RN (ICU / ER / OR)BLS/ACLS certifications, critical care nursing experience
$96,874$46.57/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Charge Nurse / Nurse SupervisorClinical leadership, unit patient flow management, staffing oversight
$114,289$54.95/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Nurse Practitioner (MSN/DNP)Master''s/Doctorate in Nursing, advanced prescriptive authority
$139,868$67.24/hr · 7+ Years
Scaled to the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH medianView National Registered Nurse (RN) Salary Data
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)
41% 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$106,180-$26,021$73,788$2,838.00
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$126,089-$32,597$85,926$3,304.86
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$145,998-$39,482$97,756$3,759.84
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$165,906-$46,432$109,520$4,212.31
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$185,815-$53,300$121,366$4,667.91
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

Registered Nurse (RN) 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
$106,180/yr
$51.05/hr · SOC 29-1141
Statutory Tax Drag
24.51% Effective
-$26,021 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
41% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$3,631/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 29-1141
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

Registered Nurse (RN) in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH: Market Snapshot

Registered Nurse (RN) roles in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH report a median annual wage of $106,180, 8.8% above the national median of $97,550. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $81,880 to $188,670, and HUD’s $2,518 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 28.5% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $35.97 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Registered Nurse (RN)

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$216,740+104.1%
Vallejo, CA$203,290+91.5%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$186,610+75.7%
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$174,550+64.4%
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$171,460+61.5%
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA$170,960+61.0%
Yuba City, CA$149,320+40.6%
Kahului-Wailuku, HI$144,350+35.9%
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$139,520+31.4%
Urban Honolulu, HI$139,260+31.2%

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, 380 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.

Registered Nurse (RN) Salary in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH Overview

Registered Nurse (RN) median pay in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH is $106,180 a year ($51.05/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles. Official 2026 economic data for Registered Nurse (RN) 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 Registered Nurse (RN) in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH?

The median annual wage is $106,180 ($51.05 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $81,880 and $188,670. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Registered Nurse (RN) in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH after taxes?

On the median wage of $106,180, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $78,439 a year ($6,537 a month) after $27,741 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 26.13%, using 2026 tax rules.