Editors Salary
In Massachusetts, editors earn $83,170 at the median, or about $39.99 an hour. The range runs from $47K at the entry level to $136K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.09), that's roughly $83,095 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,347/month, about 44.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Massachusetts. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $83K get you in Massachusetts?
About editors
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What this looks like in Massachusetts
Editors pay in Massachusetts tracks closely to the national median, $83K locally vs. $78K nationwide, a 7% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,347/month, which is 44.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 100.09) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Massachusetts
Entry-level editors (10th percentile) start around $47K. Mid-career wages sit at $83K. Top earners bring in $136K or more, a $89K spread from bottom to top.
Editors salary by metro in Massachusetts
6 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton | $86K | +4% | 2,480 |
| Amherst Town-Northampton | $79K | -5% | 80 |
| Worcester | $74K | -11% | 100 |
| Pittsfield | $61K | -26% | 60 |
| Barnstable Town | $61K | -27% | 50 |
| Springfield | $58K | -30% | 90 |
Compare to other states
Track editors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Massachusetts numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a editor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Massachusetts?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $83K, rent takes 44.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,347/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,600/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for editors in Massachusetts?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new editors typically earn — is $47K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,839/month. At HUD’s $2,347/month FMR, rent would take 83% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is editor a high-paying job in Massachusetts?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $83K locally vs. $78K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Massachusetts compare to the national average for editors?
Massachusetts pays $83K median vs. the U.S. average of $78K — that’s +7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.09), the purchasing-power equivalent is $83K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do editors make in Massachusetts?
The median is $83,170 a year, that works out to about $40 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $47,320, and experienced editors can clear $136,360. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $83K enough to live in Massachusetts?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,228/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,347/month, which eats 44.9% 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 editors salary go in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts has a Regional Price Parity of 100.09 (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 editors salary is worth about $83,095 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do editors 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.