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

Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education Salary in Worcester, MA

Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education in the Worcester, MA metro area earn a median $87,050 a year — 21% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $65,937 take-home, or $5,495 a month.

Median salary
$87,050
$41.85 per hour
Typical range
$59,900 – $103,580
10th to 90th percentile
Jobs in Worcester, MA
3,640
1.52× national concentration
▼0.2%
Pay trend: The median for secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education in Worcester, MA fell from $87,210 (May 2024) to $87,050 (May 2025). That trailed inflation (2.4%), so buying power slipped about 2.6%.

Take-home pay calculator

Pre-filled with the median secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education salary in Worcester, MA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.

Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education in Worcester, MA
Deductions, kids & local tax

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

Your take-home pay
$65,937
per year · effective tax rate 24.3%
$5,495Monthly
$2,747Twice a month
$2,536Every 2 weeks
$31.70Hourly
  • Federal income tax$10,321
  • Social Security (6.2%)$5,397
  • Medicare (1.45%)$1,262
  • Massachusetts income tax$4,133
  • Take-home pay$65,937

Marginal rate: 22% federal + 5.00% state

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

Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education pay by experience in Worcester, MA

PercentileSalaryHourlyTake-home / yrPer month
10th percentile (entry level)$59,900$28.80$47,535$3,961
25th percentile$74,880$36.00$57,984$4,832
Median (50th)$87,050$41.85$65,937$5,495
75th percentile$97,940$47.09$73,054$6,088
90th percentile (top earners)$103,580$49.80$76,740$6,395

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

What $87,050 buys in Worcester, MA

Prices in Worcester, MA are 2.5% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.13× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education's $65,937 take-home pay has the buying power of $64,315 in a typical American city.

1-bedroom rent
$1,558
28% of monthly take-home
2-bedroom rent
$1,997
36% of monthly take-home
Left after 1-BR rent
$3,937
per month for everything else

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

Worcester, MA has 1.5× the national concentration of secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.

Best-paying cities for secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education, adjusted for cost of living

Worcester, MA ranks #20 of 84 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.

#Metro areaMedian salaryTake-homeReal value*
1Seattle, WA $102,670$81,058$72,938
2Fresno, CA $100,750$73,258$71,710
3Bakersfield, CA $99,150$72,302$71,667
4Chicago, IL $98,970$73,701$71,144
5Sacramento, CA $105,060$75,833$71,091
6San Jose, CA $108,230$77,727$70,390
7Providence, RI $92,110$70,792$69,559
8Akron, OH $81,820$64,923$69,533
20Worcester, MA$87,050$65,937$64,315

*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 84 metros →

About the job: secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education

Teach one or more subjects to students at the secondary school level.

Typical education
Bachelor's degree
Work experience
None required
On-the-job training
None
Job outlook, 2025–35
-0.2% (slower than average)

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

Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education salaries elsewhere in Massachusetts

Frequently asked questions

How much does a secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education make in Worcester, MA?

The median secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education salary in the Worcester, MA metro area is $87,050 a year, or about $41.85 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $74,880 and $97,940.

What is a secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education’s take-home pay in Worcester, MA?

On the median $87,050 salary, a single filer living in Massachusetts takes home about $65,937 a year ($5,495 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $4,133 in Massachusetts taxes in 2026.

Is Worcester, MA a good place to work as a secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education?

Pay here is 21% above the national median of $72,040. Local prices are 2.5% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $64,315 would in a typical U.S. city. Worcester, MA ranks #20 of 84 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.

Can a secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education afford rent in Worcester, MA?

HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Worcester, MA is $1,558 a month ($1,997 for two bedrooms) — 28% of a median secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.

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