Boston project manager salary: rankings and context
Monthly take-home on that median is roughly US$8,200; local prices sit at COL 100, so its buying power is about US$115,000.
Boston vs the national and MA picture
On a United States league table of 21 metros, Boston comes 8th. One place higher is Denver at US$116,740, one lower is Portland at US$108,340, and San Jose tops the list.
Boston is the only observed MA metro for this role, so there is no in-state average to compare; the national and metro ranking above is the better reference.
Is US$114,990 a good salary in Boston?
Living costs are close to the baseline (COL index 100), so the median's buying power, about US$115,000, is near its face value.
Its place holds after a cost-of-living adjustment — 8th of 21 either way.
Run the median through our simplified tax model (14% effective) and about US$8,200 lands each month. Budget US$1,650 for a modeled 1-bedroom — 20% of pay — and other modeled costs, and roughly US$4,710 remains.
Metros with a cost level like Boston
New York (similar cost level, COL 100) pays US$126,660, 10% more than Boston; modeled monthly leftover is US$750 higher.
In Los Angeles — similar cost level, COL 100 — the median is US$108,310 (-6% vs Boston), and the modeled budget leaves US$430 less each month.
Chicago (similar cost level, COL 100) pays US$105,320, 8% less than Boston; modeled monthly leftover is US$630 lower.
Project Manager vs other occupations in Boston
Lawyer is the best-paid tracked role in Boston at US$183,350; project manager comes 6th of 9.
Closest neighbours in the Boston list: Financial Analyst at US$117,520 (+2%) and Frontend Developer at US$108,520 (-6%).
How Boston ranks at the low and high end
Entry-level project managers fare better here (6th of 21 at the 10th percentile, US$72,800) than senior ones (8th at the 90th, US$174,740).
For the top 10% of earners, San Jose leads with US$212,340 at the 90th percentile, +22% against Boston.
Spread between low and high project manager pay in Boston
Pay is spread out: US$72,800 at the 10th percentile to US$174,740 at the 90th (2.4×). Level and setting matter more than the city average here.