Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary Salary in Boston, MA
Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area earn a median $96,170 a year — 22% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $71,897 take-home, or $5,991 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary salary in Boston, MA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$12,327
- Social Security (6.2%)$5,963
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,394
- Massachusetts income tax$4,589
- Take-home pay$71,897
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 5.00% state
The Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro spans Massachusetts, New Hampshire. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary pay by experience in Boston, MA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $61,800 | $29.71 | $48,966 | $4,081 |
| 25th percentile | $67,180 | $32.30 | $52,952 | $4,413 |
| Median (50th) | $96,170 | $46.24 | $71,897 | $5,991 |
| 75th percentile | $126,340 | $60.74 | $91,522 | $7,627 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $157,100 | $75.53 | $111,009 | $9,251 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Massachusetts resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $96,170 buys in Boston, MA
Prices in Boston, MA are 8.3% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.48× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary's $71,897 take-home pay has the buying power of $66,408 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Boston, MA has 2.4× the national concentration of art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary, adjusted for cost of living
Boston, MA ranks #2 of 4 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $100,950 | $74,933 | $66,569 |
| 2 | Boston, MA | $96,170 | $71,897 | $66,408 |
| 3 | Los Angeles, CA | $91,490 | $67,725 | $59,635 |
| 4 | Chicago, IL | $62,960 | $49,797 | $48,069 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 4 metros →
About the job: art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary
Teach courses in drama, music, and the arts including fine and applied art, such as painting and sculpture, or design and crafts.
- Typical education
- Master's degree
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- None
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +2.2% (about average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary make in Boston, MA?
The median art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary salary in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area is $96,170 a year, or about $46.24 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $67,180 and $126,340.
What is a art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary’s take-home pay in Boston, MA?
On the median $96,170 salary, a single filer living in Massachusetts takes home about $71,897 a year ($5,991 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $4,589 in Massachusetts taxes in 2026.
Is Boston, MA a good place to work as a art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary?
Pay here is 22% above the national median of $78,620. Local prices are 8.3% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $66,408 would in a typical U.S. city. Boston, MA ranks #2 of 4 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary afford rent in Boston, MA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Boston, MA is $2,276 a month ($2,762 for two bedrooms) — 38% of a median art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Boston, MA
- Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary — $164,450
- Business Teachers, Postsecondary — $103,110
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education — $98,850
- Instructional Coordinator — $98,370
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education — $98,060
- Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School — $97,410
- Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education — $94,170
- Special Education Teachers, Secondary School — $87,630
- Librarian and Media Collections Specialist — $79,450
- Tutor — $64,710
- Self-Enrichment Teacher — $50,250
- Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary — $49,760