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Transportation · Boston-Cambridge-Newton

Motorboat Operators Salary

in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH

The median pay for a motorboat operators in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH is $45,760/year ($22/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $43K at the entry level to $51K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.27), so that salary is closer to $42,265 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,941/month, about 94.2% of take-home, which is tight.

Our verdict:Rough. This salary fights the rent
Median pay
$46K
per year, before taxes
Hourly
$22
median hourly rate
Starting out
$43K
10th percentile
Top earners
$51K
90th percentile

Where the paycheck goes

What $46K actually covers in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, month by month

Take-home pay
after estimated taxes
$3,043/mo
Rent
2-bedroom median (HUD)
-$2,941/mo
Groceries
scaled to local prices
-$424/mo
Utilities
power, water, internet
-$212/mo
Transportation
car, gas, transit
-$372/mo
Healthcare *
employee share only
-$247/mo
Rent as % of take-home96.6% ⚠ above 30% guideline
Left over each month-$1,153/mo

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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About motorboat operators

Education: No formal educational credential
U.S. employed: 2,480
Category: Transportation

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What this looks like in Boston-Cambridge-Newton

Motorboat operators pay in Boston-Cambridge-Newton tracks closely to the national median, $46K locally vs. $48K nationwide, a 4% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,941/month, which is 96.6% 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. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.

Compared to nearby metros

Median pay for motorboat operators in metros near Boston-Cambridge-Newton, adjusted for local cost of living.

MetroMedian payCOL-adjusted
Barnstable Town$45K$46K
New York-Newark-Jersey City$62K$55K
Providence-Warwick$46K$45K

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

Bar chart showing Motorboat Operators salary percentiles in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH: 10th percentile $43,330, 25th percentile $43,330, median $45,760, 75th percentile $45,760, 90th percentile $50,530. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics.10th$43K25th$43KMedian$46K75th$46K90th$51K
Bar chart showing Motorboat Operators salary percentiles in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH: 10th percentile $43,330, 25th percentile $43,330, median $45,760, 75th percentile $45,760, 90th percentile $50,530. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Entry-level motorboat operators (10th percentile) start around $43K. Mid-career wages sit at $46K. Top earners bring in $51K or more, a $7K spread from bottom to top.

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Motorboat Operators pay across states

Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure

View Motorboat Operators salary in all states
StateMedian salaryvs. nationalEmployment
Hawaii$76K+60%330
Illinois$68K+44%40
Washington$64K+34%80
New York$62K+30%N/A
Texas$50K+6%270
Michigan$47K-2%N/A
Florida$47K-2%170
Connecticut$46K-3%N/A
Louisiana$46K-4%160
Massachusetts$45K-5%N/A
New Jersey$44K-7%40
Tennessee$42K-11%60
California$35K-27%190
12

Showing 1–10 of 13 states with published data

BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small

Track motorboat operators salary changes

BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Boston-Cambridge-Newton numbers change.

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Quick answers

The stuff people actually ask about this job

Can a motorboat operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Boston-Cambridge-Newton?

It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $46K, rent takes 96.6% 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 $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.

What’s the entry-level salary for motorboat operators in Boston-Cambridge-Newton?

The 10th-percentile wage — what new motorboat operators typically earn — is $43K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,891/month. At HUD’s $2,941/month FMR, rent would take 102% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.

Is motorboat operator a high-paying job in Boston-Cambridge-Newton?

Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $46K locally vs. $48K nationally, a 4% difference.

How does Boston-Cambridge-Newton compare to the national average for motorboat operators?

Boston-Cambridge-Newton pays $46K median vs. the U.S. average of $48K — that’s -4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.27), the purchasing-power equivalent is $42K — below the national median.

How much do motorboat operators make in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH?

The median is $45,760 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $43,330, and experienced motorboat operators can clear $50,530. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.

Is $46K enough to live in Boston-Cambridge-Newton?

On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,043/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,941/month, which eats 96.6% 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 motorboat operators 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 motorboat operators salary is worth about $42,265 in national-average purchasing power.

Where do motorboat operators 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.

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