Tutor Salary in Boston, MA
Tutors in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area earn a median $64,710 a year — 49% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $51,159 take-home, or $4,263 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median tutor salary in Boston, MA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$5,585
- Social Security (6.2%)$4,012
- Medicare (1.45%)$938
- Massachusetts income tax$3,016
- Take-home pay$51,159
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 →
Tutor pay by experience in Boston, MA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $36,360 | $17.48 | $29,797 | $2,483 |
| 25th percentile | $47,560 | $22.87 | $38,236 | $3,186 |
| Median (50th) | $64,710 | $31.11 | $51,159 | $4,263 |
| 75th percentile | $85,100 | $40.91 | $64,663 | $5,389 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $101,550 | $48.82 | $75,413 | $6,284 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Massachusetts resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $64,710 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 tutor's $51,159 take-home pay has the buying power of $47,253 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Tutor jobs are about as common in Boston, MA as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.17).
Best-paying cities for tutors, adjusted for cost of living
Boston, MA ranks #1 of 15 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boston, MA | $64,710 | $51,159 | $47,253 |
| 2 | Baltimore, MD | $56,200 | $45,031 | $43,097 |
| 3 | Atlanta, GA | $48,180 | $39,015 | $38,992 |
| 4 | Washington, DC | $48,730 | $39,577 | $36,348 |
| 5 | San Diego, CA | $47,050 | $38,501 | $34,410 |
| 6 | San Francisco, CA | $48,340 | $39,443 | $34,116 |
| 7 | Sacramento, CA | $44,000 | $36,213 | $33,948 |
| 8 | New York, NY | $46,550 | $37,666 | $33,462 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 15 metros →
About the job: tutors
Instruct individual students or small groups of students in academic subjects to support formal class instruction or to prepare students for standardized or admissions tests.
- Typical education
- Some college, no 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.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a tutor make in Boston, MA?
The median tutor salary in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area is $64,710 a year, or about $31.11 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $47,560 and $85,100.
What is a tutor’s take-home pay in Boston, MA?
On the median $64,710 salary, a single filer living in Massachusetts takes home about $51,159 a year ($4,263 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $3,016 in Massachusetts taxes in 2026.
Is Boston, MA a good place to work as a tutor?
Pay here is 49% above the national median of $43,350. Local prices are 8.3% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $47,253 would in a typical U.S. city. Boston, MA ranks #1 of 15 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a tutor 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) — 53% of a median tutor’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
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