File Clerk Salary in Boston, MA
File Clerks in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area earn a median $50,680 a year — 16% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $40,587 take-home, or $3,382 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median file clerk salary in Boston, MA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$3,902
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,142
- Medicare (1.45%)$735
- Massachusetts income tax$2,314
- Take-home pay$40,587
Marginal rate: 12% 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.
File Clerk pay by experience in Boston, MA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $37,770 | $18.16 | $30,860 | $2,572 |
| 25th percentile | $45,560 | $21.90 | $36,729 | $3,061 |
| Median (50th) | $50,680 | $24.37 | $40,587 | $3,382 |
| 75th percentile | $58,860 | $28.30 | $46,751 | $3,896 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $70,210 | $33.75 | $54,932 | $4,578 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Massachusetts resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $50,680 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 file clerk's $40,587 take-home pay has the buying power of $37,489 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
File Clerk jobs are less concentrated in Boston, MA than nationally (location quotient 0.36), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for file clerks, adjusted for cost of living
Boston, MA ranks #9 of 31 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicago, IL | $58,320 | $46,298 | $44,691 |
| 2 | San Jose, CA | $60,840 | $48,574 | $43,989 |
| 3 | Nashville, TN | $46,990 | $39,936 | $41,455 |
| 4 | Austin, TX | $46,400 | $39,462 | $40,241 |
| 5 | Portland, OR | $52,280 | $40,442 | $38,362 |
| 6 | San Francisco, CA | $54,910 | $44,242 | $38,268 |
| 7 | Atlanta, GA | $46,700 | $37,903 | $37,881 |
| 8 | Riverside, CA | $49,180 | $40,057 | $37,632 |
| 9 | Boston, MA | $50,680 | $40,587 | $37,489 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 31 metros →
Frequently asked questions
How much does a file clerk make in Boston, MA?
The median file clerk salary in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area is $50,680 a year, or about $24.37 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $45,560 and $58,860.
What is a file clerk’s take-home pay in Boston, MA?
On the median $50,680 salary, a single filer living in Massachusetts takes home about $40,587 a year ($3,382 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,314 in Massachusetts taxes in 2026.
Is Boston, MA a good place to work as a file clerk?
Pay here is 16% above the national median of $43,600. Local prices are 8.3% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $37,489 would in a typical U.S. city. Boston, MA ranks #9 of 31 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a file clerk 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) — 67% of a median file clerk’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Boston, MA
- Executive Secretary and Executive Administrative Assistant — $85,260
- First-Line Supervisor of Office and Administrative Support Workers — $77,990
- Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs — $67,320
- Payroll and Timekeeping Clerk — $66,930
- Brokerage Clerk — $64,000
- Court, Municipal, and License Clerks — $62,850
- Legal Secretary and Administrative Assistant — $62,690
- Public Safety Telecommunicator — $62,660
- Postal Service Clerk — $62,610
- Postal Service Mail Carrier — $62,090
- Procurement Clerk — $61,700
- Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks — $61,490