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Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a software developer make in Boston-Cambridge, MA?

In the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metropolitan area, software developers earned a median of $166,090 a year ($79.85 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 42,310 of these jobs there. That is 149% above the $66,620 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $102,950 and $214,100; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Massachusetts tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $116,804 in take-home pay.

Software developer pay in Boston-Cambridge, MA at a glance

Median salary

$166,090$79.85 per hour · $13,841 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$102,950$49.50/hr
25th percentile$131,880$63.40/hr
75th percentile$183,740$88.34/hr
90th percentile$214,100$102.93/hr
Jobs in this metro42,310Location quotient 1.44 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here149% aboveAll-jobs median $66,620
Against Massachusetts1% aboveStatewide median $165,210
Against the U.S.22% aboveNational median $135,980

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Same U.S. tax tables as the rest of the site. Change the salary, state, or filing status.

Take-home payWhat $165,000 a year leaves after tax in MassachusettsFederal tax, FICA and Massachusetts withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$80 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $165,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $165,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation Massachusetts publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Massachusetts.

Software developer salary in Boston-Cambridge, MA after taxes

$166,090
$65,000$335,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$166,090
Net 70%
Fed 17%
MA 5%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$116,804After all taxes
Monthly deposit$9,734Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$4,492Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate29.7%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$28,596 / yr
Massachusetts state income tax$7,985 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$12,706 / yr
Customize deductions in full Massachusetts calculator

Software developers pay range in Boston-Cambridge, MA, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What software developers earned in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (MA)
10th percentile$49.50/hr$8,579$102,950$76,428
25th percentile$63.40/hr$10,990$131,880$95,132
MedianMedian$79.85/hr$13,841$166,090$116,804
75th percentile$88.34/hr$15,312$183,740$127,985
90th percentile$102.93/hr$17,842$214,100$148,927

Is $166,090 a good salary in Boston-Cambridge, MA?

It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for software developers next to both.

Median household income$115,863Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)108.38.3% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household143.4%of area median income

The same job statewide and nationally, and a calculator for your own paycheck.

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Software developers pay in other Massachusetts metros

Metros in the same state that are closest in size to Boston-Cambridge, MA. A statewide average can hide differences this large.

Software developer pay in Boston-Cambridge, MA: common questions

What is the median salary for software developers in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH?

The BLS median annual wage for software developers in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area was $166,090 in May 2025, about $13,841 a month or $79.85 an hour. Statewide, the Massachusetts median for this job is $165,210, so the metro pays 1% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for software developers in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH?

The median hourly wage for software developers in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH was $79.85 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $49.50 an hour and one in ten earned more than $102.93.

How many software developers work in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH?

BLS estimated 42,310 jobs for software developers in the metro in May 2025, or 15.6 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.44 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for software developers in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH?

BLS wage estimates for software developers in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH run from $102,950 at the 10th percentile to $131,880 at the 25th, $183,740 at the 75th, and $214,100 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do software developers take home after taxes in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH?

On a median gross salary of $166,090, an estimated $116,804 lands in net take-home pay per year ($4,492 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Massachusetts in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $49,286 (an effective rate of 29.7%).

How much do software developers make per month in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH?

On the median annual salary of $166,090, gross monthly income is $13,841. After federal, FICA, and Massachusetts state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $9,734 per month (or $4,492 every two weeks).

Is $166,090 a good salary in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH?

At $166,090, the median salary for software developers is 143.4% of the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH median household income ($115,863). It is 149% above the $66,620 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 108.3, so prices here run 8.3% above the U.S. average.