Average RN Salary in Massachusetts: See How Much MA Nurses Make

Massachusetts hosts many large biotech firms and some of the most prestigious hospitals and health systems in the country. It also has one of the higher costs of living in the United States. This guide to registered nurse (RN) salaries in Massachusetts can help you negotiate the best salary for your position.

Keep reading for more about average registered nurse salaries in Massachusetts, the highest-paying cities for RNs, and how other nursing job salaries compare.

Source:BLS

With the annual average RN salary in Massachusetts of $96,630, an average hourly salary of $46.46, Massachusetts is the sixth highest-paying state in the country for nurses. The bottom 10% of reported RN salaries in Massachusetts were $61,180 annually, while the top 10% made $151,310. Nationally, the median RN salary is $77,600, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). This makes almost three-quarters of all RN salaries in Massachusetts above the national median salary.

However, the high cost of living can offset the higher RN salaries in Massachusetts. Job growth for RNs is only slightly slower than the national rate, at approximately 8.2% compared to a national growth projection of 9% between 2020 and 2030, as reported by the BLS.

Source:BLS

While Massachusetts offers the sixth highest RN salaries, it is also ranked sixth highest for cost of living. The cost-of-living index measures the price of goods and services, especially necessities like food, housing, and transportation, and compares them to regional costs. With the U.S. at a national index of 100 and Massachusetts at 107.4, it costs 7.4% more to live in Massachusetts.

Adjusted for this cost of living, the average RN salary in Massachusetts is $89,479.

Demand for housing in the Boston and Cambridge areas is especially high, as the city hosts both Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

In the highest-paying Massachusetts cities, the average RN salary reaches six figures. Salaries are highest in the Boston-Cambridge-Nashua area, which houses Harvard Medical School and its affiliated hospitals, as well as Tufts, Massachusetts General Hospital, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and Brigham and Women’s Hospitals.

New Bedford is famous for its fishing and coastal attractions and growing wind energy industry. A biotech hub partnering with the University of Massachusetts Medical School and Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester is within commuting distance of Boston.

Barnstable features Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, while Pittsfield is home to the Berkshires, known for cultural offerings, such as Tanglewood.

Source:BLS

While RN salaries in Massachusetts are among the highest in the country, you can increase your income by earning a master of science in nursing (MSN) degree and becoming an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN). To be a nurse anesthetist, the highest-paying nursing specialty, you must earn a doctor of nursing practice (DNP). You can become a nurse practitioner or a nurse midwife with an MSN.

Source:BLS