Desktop Publishers Salary
The median pay for a desktop publishers in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH is $80,960/year ($38.92/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $93K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.27), so that salary is closer to $74,776 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,941/month, about 57.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $81K get you in Boston-Cambridge-Newton?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Boston-Cambridge-Newton’s Regional Price Parity (108.27). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
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What this looks like in Boston-Cambridge-Newton
Boston-Cambridge-Newton sits well above the national pay line for desktop publishers, local pay runs about 46% higher than the U.S. median of $55K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,941/month, which is 57.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 8% above the national average (BEA RPP 108.27), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for desktop publishers in metros near Boston-Cambridge-Newton, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $63K | $56K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH
Entry-level desktop publishers (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $81K. Top earners bring in $93K or more, a $43K spread from bottom to top.
Desktop Publishers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Desktop Publishers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado | $78K | +41% | N/A |
| California | $72K | +30% | 320 |
| Maryland | $70K | +26% | 140 |
| New Jersey | $63K | +14% | 100 |
| South Carolina | $62K | +13% | 40 |
| Illinois | $61K | +11% | 150 |
| Massachusetts | $61K | +11% | 80 |
| Texas | $58K | +4% | 270 |
| New York | $57K | +2% | 350 |
| Minnesota | $55K | -1% | 90 |
| Vermont | $54K | -3% | 50 |
| Ohio | $53K | -3% | 60 |
| Florida | $53K | -5% | 150 |
| Arizona | $52K | -6% | 30 |
| Oregon | $51K | -8% | 90 |
| Indiana | $49K | -11% | 130 |
| New Hampshire | $48K | -13% | 30 |
| Louisiana | $47K | -15% | 40 |
| Maine | $47K | -15% | 30 |
| Oklahoma | $46K | -17% | 40 |
| Wisconsin | $46K | -17% | 40 |
| Kentucky | $46K | -17% | 40 |
| Michigan | $45K | -18% | 40 |
| Tennessee | $44K | -20% | 40 |
| North Carolina | $44K | -21% | 80 |
| Georgia | $39K | -29% | 230 |
| Nebraska | $36K | -34% | 40 |
Showing 1–10 of 27 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track desktop publishers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Boston-Cambridge-Newton numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a desktop publisher afford a 2BR apartment alone in Boston-Cambridge-Newton?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $81K, rent takes 57.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,941/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,500/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for desktop publishers in Boston-Cambridge-Newton?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new desktop publishers typically earn — is $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,989/month. At HUD’s $2,941/month FMR, rent would take 98% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is desktop publisher a high-paying job in Boston-Cambridge-Newton?
Local pay is 46% above the national median — $81K here vs. $55K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 8% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Boston-Cambridge-Newton compare to the national average for desktop publishers?
Boston-Cambridge-Newton pays $81K median vs. the U.S. average of $55K — that’s +46%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.27), the purchasing-power equivalent is $75K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do desktop publishers make in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH?
The median is $80,960 a year, that works out to about $39 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,820, and experienced desktop publishers can clear $92,960. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $81K enough to live in Boston-Cambridge-Newton?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,108/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,941/month, which eats 57.6% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a desktop publishers salary go in Boston-Cambridge-Newton?
Boston-Cambridge-Newton has a Regional Price Parity of 108.27 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median desktop publishers salary is worth about $74,776 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do desktop publishers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.