What pays what here
Boston-Cambridge-Newton at all experience levels (BLS OEWS, May 2025). These are not offers. The 10th percentile sits nearer a starting rate.
Scroll horizontally to view every column.
| Occupation | Jobs in metro | 10th percentile | Median here | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hand laborers and material movers | 24,030 | $17.88 | $21.92 | $19.35 |
| Stockers and order fillers | 35,770 | $15.85 | $18.13 | $17.95 |
| Forklift and industrial truck operators | 5,030 | $20.27 | $22.98 | $22.32 |
| Light truck drivers | 15,910 | $16.99 | $23.86 | $21.57 |
| Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers | 20,090 | $23.05 | $30.78 | $28.19 |
| Retail salespersons | 64,150 | $16.35 | $17.72 | $17.03 |
| Cashiers | 42,920 | $15.47 | $17.33 | $15.81 |
| Customer service representatives | 37,780 | $17.17 | $24.00 | $21.53 |
| Home health and personal care aides | 72,420 | $17.70 | $19.67 | $17.21 |
| Nursing assistants | 26,130 | $19.32 | $22.88 | $20.32 |
| Medical assistants | 10,750 | $22.15 | $24.39 | $21.97 |
| Construction laborers | 11,580 | $22.34 | $30.49 | $22.66 |
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers | 15,120 | $18.24 | $23.57 | $18.82 |
| Helpers, electricians | 490 | $18.67 | $23.24 | $20.51 |
| Electricians | 13,410 | $22.71 | $38.42 | $30.38 |
| HVAC mechanics and installers | 6,050 | $24.46 | $37.75 | $29.33 |
Boston beats the U.S. median in every row, though stockers lead by only $0.18. Home care is the biggest group here, at 72,420 jobs.
Worked example. Moving from home health aide ($19.67) to nursing assistant ($22.88) takes you from $786.80 to $915.20 for 40 hours, $128.40 more a week. That step needs certification: HHA vs PCA vs CNA and free CNA training. Other metros: pay benchmarks.
Local pay rules
- Minimum wage: $15.00. The 2023 raise was the last one scheduled; another needs the legislature or a ballot vote (Massachusetts Trial Court Law Libraries, read October 31, 2026). JobPin found no separate Boston rate on the state pages. See minimum wage by state.
- Tipped jobs: a $6.75 service rate, only if you are told in writing and earn more than $20 a month in tips. Each shift, tips plus $6.75 must reach $15, or the employer pays the gap (Attorney General, read October 31, 2026).
- Payday: hourly workers get paid weekly or every other week, within 6 or 7 days after the pay period ends. Fired or laid off? You are owed everything on your last day (Attorney General; pay frequency laws).
- New Hampshire: this metro crosses the line. A job there follows New Hampshire law, with a $7.25 floor (U.S. DOL, updated July 1, 2026).
Local rights: strong, and enforced by the Attorney General
Earned sick time. You earn at least 1 hour per 30 worked, up to 40 hours a year. It is paid if your employer has 11 or more workers, and unpaid at smaller ones. Full time, that takes 30 weeks. Employers can ask for a doctor's note only in limited cases, such as more than 3 workdays in a row (Attorney General).
Pay ranges. Since October 29, 2025, employers with 25 or more workers must put wage ranges in postings and tell applicants and staff on request (Attorney General).
Meal breaks. At least 30 minutes if you work more than 6 hours in a day. It can be unpaid. If your employer asks you to work or stay on site through it, you must be paid. More: break laws.
Your record. Employers cannot ask on the first written application (ban the box laws).
Schedules. JobPin found no Massachusetts or Boston fair workweek rule on the agency pages read. Get your hours in writing.
Who to call. The Fair Labor Hotline is 617-727-3465, Monday to Friday, 10 to 4. File online, even anonymously. The office warns that deciding whether to investigate can take several weeks, and not every complaint leads to one. Next steps: unpaid wages.
Free local help
The city has two full-service MassHire Career Centers (Mass.gov, read October 31, 2026):
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| Center | Address | Phone | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| MassHire Downtown Boston | 75 Federal St., 3rd Floor, Boston 02110 | (617) 399-3100 | Mon to Fri, 9 to 5 |
| MassHire Boston ABCD | 10 Malcolm X Blvd., Roxbury 02119 | 617-442-2791 | Mon to Thu, 8:30 to 4:30; Fri to 3 |
ABCD advisors also meet by appointment in Allston/Brighton, South Boston, Mattapan, Dorchester, East Boston, Parker Hill/Fenway and Grove Hall.
Training money. Downtown offers WIOA job training grants. TOP lets you keep unemployment benefits during a full-time approved program. You must watch a 9:36 video before you get the screening form. No dollar cap is posted, so ask wioateam@masshiredowntownboston.org. Money goes to people who qualify; pay no school before approval. At the desk: free job help.
SkilledUS, a free short-term training group, explains who qualifies on November 16, 1 to 3 PM, at 75 Federal St. SNAP recipients are encouraged to attend.
Getting there on the MBTA
A subway ride is $2.40, a bus ride $1.70. The Monthly LinkPass is $90 and a 7-Day LinkPass $22.50 (MBTA, read October 31, 2026). A pilot since September 1 lets you transfer freely within 2 hours on the same payment method.
For 22 workdays, 44 subway rides cost $105.60, so the pass saves $15.60. It equals 3.9 hours of pay at $22.88. Bus only? 44 rides cost $74.80, so skip the pass.
On SNAP or MassHealth? If you are 18 to 64 and enrolled in SNAP, listed MassHealth plans, TAFDC, EAEDC or MASSGrant, the income-eligible CharlieCard loads a $30 monthly LinkPass, or $1.10 subway and $0.85 bus rides. That saves $60 a month. Apply online through MyCharlie, and renew every year.
Who employs people here
September is preliminary (BLS Boston-Cambridge-Newton page, read October 31, 2026). Unemployment was 3.9%.
Scroll horizontally to view every column.
| Sector | Jobs, September 2026 | Change over 12 months |
|---|---|---|
| Total nonfarm | 2,733,800 | +0.1% |
| Education and health services | 623,400 | +1.0% |
| Professional and business services | 499,100 | -0.3% |
| Trade, transportation and utilities | 384,500 | -1.3% |
| Government | 318,900 | +0.1% |
| Leisure and hospitality | 275,100 | -0.5% |
| Financial activities | 176,200 | +0.5% |
| Manufacturing | 161,700 | +0.4% |
| Mining, logging and construction | 124,400 | +2.0% |
Education and health is the largest group and grew 1.0%, while trade and transportation fell 1.3%. Massport says Logan provides "nearly 20,000 jobs for area residents" (Massport release on its 43 million passenger year). Those jobs span many employers, so apply to each.
Job fairs and hiring events
JobPin's Boston job fair hub showed no confirmed upcoming event today. Organizers list these (read October 31, 2026):
- Boston Job Fair: Wednesday, November 4, 11 AM to 2 PM, DoubleTree Suites, 400 Soldiers Field Road. Free; register first (Best Hire Career Fairs).
- Multi-Industry Fall Career Fair: Tuesday, November 17, 10 AM to 2 PM, Roxbury Community College, 1234 Columbus Ave. Healthcare, human services, government and office jobs. You need a MassHire Job Seeker ID. Take the Orange Line to Roxbury Crossing; the college is across the street (RCC).
Before you go: how to get hired at a job fair.
A plan for this week
- Monday, November 2: become a MassHire member to get your Job Seeker ID. On SNAP? Start the MyCharlie application.
- Tuesday: go to 75 Federal St. Ask, "Can you review my resume, and how do I start WIOA grant screening?"
- Wednesday: take printed resumes to the Soldiers Field Road fair at 11 AM.
- Thursday: apply to five jobs. Where a large employer leaves out the pay range, ask for it.
- Friday: register for November 17 at Roxbury and, if you want training, November 16 at Federal St.
Current openings
Next steps on JobPin: healthcare jobs in Boston, the only Boston category page today, and healthcare jobs nationwide.
Source-linked openings
Current source-linked listings could not be confirmed in this sample. Check the category search and each original posting for availability.
How to verify a listing
Under $15 is a red flag unless the job is tipped. A posting from an employer with 25 or more workers should show a wage range; if not, ask. Follow JobPin's source link and confirm the job on the employer's site. Our method: how JobPin verifies listings.
How JobPin dates and sources listings: How JobPin verifies listings and events. Report a listing.