Massachusetts charges 5% flat + 4% surtax >$1M state income tax. Use the employer cost calculator pre-loaded with Massachusetts rates.
Open Employer Cost Calculator →Employers in Massachusetts must withhold and remit the flat 5% state income tax, plus handle their share of FICA, FUTA, and Massachusetts's state unemployment insurance. The total cost to employ someone at a $75,000 salary in Massachusetts is typically 10-15% above the gross salary, covering the employer's payroll tax share, SUI, workers' comp, and benefits. This calculator breaks down the full employer cost with Massachusetts's specific tax rates.
Massachusetts levies a flat 5% state income tax on all taxable income regardless of how much you earn. This makes tax planning straightforward: for every additional dollar you earn, 5 cents goes to Massachusetts. Massachusetts does not impose local income taxes, so the 5% flat rate is the only state-level income tax you owe.
The table below shows what you actually keep at five salary levels in Massachusetts, accounting for federal tax, FICA, and Massachusetts's flat 5% state tax.
See how Massachusetts compares to other Northeast states. Each link takes you to the employer cost calculator landing page for that state.
For a comprehensive breakdown of Massachusetts’s tax structure, salary comparisons, cost-of-living analysis, and more, visit the full Massachusetts take-home pay page.