Updated · 2026 tax rules · Data: IRS, BLS, BEA, HUD · How we calculate

Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education Salary in Boston, MA

Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area earn a median $46,030 a year — 21% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $37,084 take-home, or $3,090 a month.

Median salary
$46,030
$22.13 per hour
Typical range
$36,360 – $59,340
10th to 90th percentile
Jobs in Boston, MA
14,500
1.74× national concentration
▲2.0%
Pay trend: The median for preschool teachers, except special education in Boston, MA rose from $45,110 (May 2024) to $46,030 (May 2025). That roughly kept pace with inflation (2.4%).

Take-home pay calculator

Pre-filled with the median preschool teachers, except special education salary in Boston, MA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.

Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education in Boston, MA
Deductions, kids & local tax

2026 tax year. Federal brackets from IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32.

Your take-home pay
$37,084
per year · effective tax rate 19.4%
$3,090Monthly
$1,545Twice a month
$1,426Every 2 weeks
$17.83Hourly
  • Federal income tax$3,344
  • Social Security (6.2%)$2,854
  • Medicare (1.45%)$667
  • Massachusetts income tax$2,082
  • Take-home pay$37,084

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.

Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →

Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education pay by experience in Boston, MA

PercentileSalaryHourlyTake-home / yrPer month
10th percentile (entry level)$36,360$17.48$29,797$2,483
25th percentile$37,680$18.12$30,792$2,566
Median (50th)$46,030$22.13$37,084$3,090
75th percentile$48,110$23.13$38,651$3,221
90th percentile (top earners)$59,340$28.53$47,113$3,926

Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Massachusetts resident, 2026 tax rules.

What $46,030 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 preschool teachers, except special education's $37,084 take-home pay has the buying power of $34,252 in a typical American city.

1-bedroom rent
$2,276
74% of monthly take-home
2-bedroom rent
$2,762
89% of monthly take-home
Left after 1-BR rent
$814
per month for everything else

Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.

Boston, MA has 1.7× the national concentration of preschool teachers, except special education jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.

Best-paying cities for preschool teachers, except special education, adjusted for cost of living

Boston, MA ranks #8 of 39 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.

#Metro areaMedian salaryTake-homeReal value*
1San Jose, CA $51,190$41,525$37,605
2San Francisco, CA $53,810$43,439$37,573
3New York, NY $50,230$40,424$35,913
4Denver, CO $45,680$37,582$35,528
5Seattle, WA $46,380$39,446$35,495
6Riverside, CA $46,010$37,721$35,438
7Minneapolis, MN $43,960$35,969$34,314
8Boston, MA $46,030$37,084$34,252

*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 39 metros →

About the job: preschool teachers, except special education

Instruct preschool-aged students, following curricula or lesson plans, in activities designed to promote social, physical, and intellectual growth.

Typical education
Associate's degree
Work experience
None required
On-the-job training
None
Job outlook, 2025–35
+4.5% (about average)

Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a preschool teachers, except special education make in Boston, MA?

The median preschool teachers, except special education salary in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area is $46,030 a year, or about $22.13 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $37,680 and $48,110.

What is a preschool teachers, except special education’s take-home pay in Boston, MA?

On the median $46,030 salary, a single filer living in Massachusetts takes home about $37,084 a year ($3,090 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,082 in Massachusetts taxes in 2026.

Is Boston, MA a good place to work as a preschool teachers, except special education?

Pay here is 21% above the national median of $38,140. Local prices are 8.3% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $34,252 would in a typical U.S. city. Boston, MA ranks #8 of 39 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.

Can a preschool teachers, except special education 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) — 74% of a median preschool teachers, except special education’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.

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