What the data says about frontend developer pay in Boston
After a simplified 14% national tax estimate that is about US$7,800 a month, in a metro with a cost-of-living index of 100.
Boston vs the national and MA picture
San Jose leads at US$166,670, 54% above Boston, while Portland sits at US$73,920. The neighbours in the ranking are Seattle and Los Angeles.
With Boston as the sole MA entry for frontend developers, the useful benchmarks are national: 5th of 19, +17% vs the median.
Take-home, rent and buying power for Boston frontend developers
Price levels in Boston (index 100) neither inflate nor shrink the paycheck much; adjusted for costs it is worth about US$108,500.
Adjusting for prices does not move Boston in the ranking: it is 5th of 19 on both cash and buying power.
Take-home on the median comes to roughly US$7,800 monthly (14% effective tax in our simplified model). Rent for a modeled 1-bedroom is 21% of it, and the single-adult budget ends about US$4,290 in the black.
Metros with a cost level like Boston
A frontend developer moving from Boston to New York (similar cost level, COL 100) would see the median fall 3% to US$104,820, with US$240 less left over monthly in our model.
A frontend developer moving from Boston to Los Angeles (similar cost level, COL 100) would see the median fall 1% to US$107,290, with US$80 less left over monthly in our model.
A frontend developer moving from Boston to Chicago (similar cost level, COL 100) would see the median fall 11% to US$96,870, with US$760 less left over monthly in our model.
Frontend Developer vs other occupations in Boston
Of the 9 roles we track in Boston, Frontend Developer is 7th by median; the highest is Lawyer (US$183,350).
Closest neighbours in the Boston list: Project Manager at US$114,990 (+6%) and Registered Nurse at US$106,180 (-2%).
Where Boston stands for junior and senior frontend developers
Starting pay holds up better than senior pay here. The 10th percentile places 6th nationally among observed metros; the 90th places 7th.
For the top 10% of earners, San Jose leads with US$233,990 at the 90th percentile, +38% against Boston.
Spread between low and high frontend developer pay in Boston
Pay is spread out: US$62,870 at the 10th percentile to US$169,520 at the 90th (2.7×). Level and setting matter more than the city average here.