Industrial Engineer Salary in Boston, MA
Industrial Engineers in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area earn a median $118,970 a year — 16% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $86,797 take-home, or $7,233 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median industrial engineer salary in Boston, MA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$17,343
- Social Security (6.2%)$7,376
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,725
- Massachusetts income tax$5,729
- Take-home pay$86,797
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 →
Industrial Engineer pay by experience in Boston, MA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $82,600 | $39.71 | $63,029 | $5,252 |
| 25th percentile | $99,070 | $47.63 | $73,792 | $6,149 |
| Median (50th) | $118,970 | $57.20 | $86,797 | $7,233 |
| 75th percentile | $133,510 | $64.19 | $96,065 | $8,005 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $163,010 | $78.37 | $114,753 | $9,563 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Massachusetts resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $118,970 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 industrial engineer's $86,797 take-home pay has the buying power of $80,170 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 1.4× the national concentration of industrial engineer jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for industrial engineers, adjusted for cost of living
Boston, MA ranks #14 of 30 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $131,210 | $100,948 | $90,835 |
| 2 | Houston, TX | $111,690 | $87,404 | $88,619 |
| 3 | San Jose, CA | $136,950 | $94,584 | $85,656 |
| 4 | Portland, OR | $129,890 | $89,487 | $84,886 |
| 5 | Cincinnati, OH | $105,140 | $80,687 | $84,604 |
| 6 | Austin, TX | $103,610 | $81,720 | $83,331 |
| 7 | Cleveland, OH | $99,300 | $76,739 | $81,704 |
| 8 | Columbus, OH | $100,570 | $77,598 | $81,281 |
| 14 | Boston, MA | $118,970 | $86,797 | $80,170 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 30 metros →
About the job: industrial engineers
Design, develop, test, and evaluate integrated systems for managing industrial production processes, including human work factors, quality control, inventory control, logistics and material flow, cost analysis, and production coordination.
- Typical education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- None
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +12.4% (much faster than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a industrial engineer make in Boston, MA?
The median industrial engineer salary in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area is $118,970 a year, or about $57.20 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $99,070 and $133,510.
What is a industrial engineer’s take-home pay in Boston, MA?
On the median $118,970 salary, a single filer living in Massachusetts takes home about $86,797 a year ($7,233 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $5,729 in Massachusetts taxes in 2026.
Is Boston, MA a good place to work as a industrial engineer?
Pay here is 16% above the national median of $102,440. Local prices are 8.3% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $80,170 would in a typical U.S. city. Boston, MA ranks #14 of 30 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a industrial engineer 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) — 31% of a median industrial engineer’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Boston, MA
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- Electronics Engineers, Except Computer — $142,920
- Engineers, All Other — $133,940
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- Bioengineer and Biomedical Engineer — $128,550
- Mechanical Engineer — $119,300
- Architects, Except Landscape and Naval — $119,120
- Civil Engineer — $107,670
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologist and Technician — $78,190