Machinist Salary in Boston, MA
Machinists in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area earn a median $72,060 a year — 23% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $56,141 take-home, or $4,678 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median machinist salary in Boston, MA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$7,023
- Social Security (6.2%)$4,468
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,045
- Massachusetts income tax$3,383
- Take-home pay$56,141
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 →
Machinist pay by experience in Boston, MA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $48,400 | $23.27 | $38,869 | $3,239 |
| 25th percentile | $59,730 | $28.72 | $47,407 | $3,951 |
| Median (50th) | $72,060 | $34.64 | $56,141 | $4,678 |
| 75th percentile | $80,250 | $38.58 | $61,493 | $5,124 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $93,600 | $45.00 | $70,218 | $5,851 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Massachusetts resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $72,060 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 machinist's $56,141 take-home pay has the buying power of $51,855 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Machinist jobs are about as common in Boston, MA as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.98).
Best-paying cities for machinists, adjusted for cost of living
Boston, MA ranks #4 of 22 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $74,560 | $61,283 | $55,144 |
| 2 | St. Louis, MO | $62,210 | $50,179 | $52,771 |
| 3 | Houston, TX | $61,280 | $51,418 | $52,133 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $72,060 | $56,141 | $51,855 |
| 5 | Cleveland, OH | $58,240 | $48,157 | $51,272 |
| 6 | Virginia Beach, VA | $62,900 | $49,918 | $50,967 |
| 7 | Hartford, CT | $64,320 | $51,892 | $50,505 |
| 8 | Milwaukee, WI | $60,320 | $48,774 | $50,315 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 22 metros →
About the job: machinists
Set up and operate a variety of machine tools to produce precision parts and instruments out of metal. May also fabricate and modify parts to make or repair machine tools or maintain industrial machines, applying knowledge of mechanics, mathematics, metal properties, layout, and machining procedures. Machinists who primarily program or operate computer numerically controlled (CNC) equipment are classified in "Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators and Programmers" (51-9160).
- Typical education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +1.0% (slower than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a machinist make in Boston, MA?
The median machinist salary in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area is $72,060 a year, or about $34.64 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $59,730 and $80,250.
What is a machinist’s take-home pay in Boston, MA?
On the median $72,060 salary, a single filer living in Massachusetts takes home about $56,141 a year ($4,678 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $3,383 in Massachusetts taxes in 2026.
Is Boston, MA a good place to work as a machinist?
Pay here is 23% above the national median of $58,750. Local prices are 8.3% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $51,855 would in a typical U.S. city. Boston, MA ranks #4 of 22 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a machinist 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) — 49% of a median machinist’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Boston, MA
- First-Line Supervisor of Production and Operating Workers — $82,660
- Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers — $58,210
- Production Workers, All Other — $48,790
- Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers — $48,060
- Miscellaneous Assembler and Fabricator — $47,860
- Packaging and Filling Machine Operator and Tender — $44,390
- Baker — $38,570
- Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Worker — $37,690
- Food Batchmaker — $37,010