Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
How much does a Cooks, Fast Food actually take home in Massachusetts?
5.0% flat rate — 19.4% effective total tax rateData: BLS OEWS 2025 + IRS/State Tax Brackets 2024 • Updated 2026-05-19
Detailed line-by-line tax calculation for a Cooks, Fast Food earning $37,870 in Massachusetts (single filer, standard deduction).
| Tax Component | Annual Amount | Effective Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary (Median) | $37,870 | — |
| Federal Income Tax | -$2,560 | 6.8% |
| Massachusetts State Income Tax | -$1,893 | 5.0% |
| Social Security (OASDI) | -$2,347 | 6.2% |
| Medicare | -$549 | 1.5% |
| Total Taxes | -$7,350 | 19.4% |
| Take-Home Pay | $30,519 | 80.6% |
Take-home pay varies significantly across experience levels. Here is the after-tax breakdown for each salary percentile of Cooks, Fast Food in Massachusetts.
| Percentile | Gross Salary | Total Taxes | Take-Home Pay | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $35,590 | -$6,788 | $28,801 | 19.1% |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $36,400 | -$6,988 | $29,411 | 19.2% |
| Median (P50) | $37,870 | -$7,350 | $30,519 | 19.4% |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $41,600 | -$8,270 | $33,329 | 19.9% |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $48,140 | -$9,882 | $38,257 | 20.5% |
After federal income tax ($2,560), state tax ($1,893), and FICA ($2,897), a Cooks, Fast Food in Massachusetts takes home $30,519 per year — or $2,543 per month. The effective tax rate of 19.4% is relatively low compared to the national range.
A Cooks, Fast Food in Massachusetts faces an effective total tax rate of only 19.4%, keeping 80.6% of every gross dollar. That leaves $30,519 net out of $37,870 gross — a favorable outcome compared to states with combined rates above 30%.
Massachusetts applies a flat state income tax — every dollar of wage income is taxed at the same rate. For this Cooks, Fast Food salary that contributes $1,894 to the 5.0% effective state-tax burden.
Federal tax on this Cooks, Fast Food salary is $2,560 (35%), but combined state ($1,894, 26%) + FICA ($2,897, 39%) make up the other 65% of the bill.
A Cooks, Fast Food earning this gross in a no-income-tax state (e.g., Texas, Florida) would take home approximately $32,413 — only $1,894 (6.2%) more than in Massachusetts.
For Cooks, Fast Food after-tax pay, Massachusetts ranks #7 of 51 states — top quartile. High gross wages or low state-tax burden (or both) drive the strong ranking.
Translated into paycheck cadences, $30,519 net/year works out to $2,543/month or $1,174/bi-weekly for this Cooks, Fast Food in Massachusetts — the numbers that actually hit a checking account after every deduction.
Where does a Cooks, Fast Food keep the most of their paycheck? Top 10 states ranked by after-tax take-home pay.
Massachusetts ranks #7 out of 51 states for Cooks, Fast Food after-tax take-home pay.
A Cooks, Fast Food in Massachusetts earning a median salary of $37,870 will take home approximately $30,519 per year after federal income tax ($2,560), state income tax ($1,893), and FICA ($2,897). That is $2,543 per month or $1,173 per bi-weekly paycheck.
The effective total tax rate for a Cooks, Fast Food in Massachusetts is 19.4%, broken down as: federal income tax 6.8%, Massachusetts state tax 5.0%, and FICA (Social Security + Medicare) 7.7%. This assumes a single filer with the standard deduction for 2024.
Massachusetts has a 5.0% flat rate. On a Cooks, Fast Food's median salary of $37,870, the state income tax amounts to $1,893 per year, which is an effective state rate of 5.0%.
After all taxes, a Cooks, Fast Food in Massachusetts takes home approximately $2,543 per month, or about $14.67 per hour (based on a standard 2,080-hour work year). These figures assume a single filer, standard deduction, and no additional pre-tax deductions.
We start with the 2025 BLS median salary of $37,870 for Cooks, Fast Food in Massachusetts, then subtract: federal income tax using 2024 IRS brackets ($14,600 standard deduction), Massachusetts state income tax (5.0% flat rate), Social Security (6.2% up to $168,600), and Medicare (1.45%). The result — $30,519/yr — does not include local taxes, pre-tax deductions (401k, HSA), or tax credits.
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This estimate assumes a single filer using the 2024 standard deduction ($14,600), with W-2 employment income only. It does not account for: itemized deductions, tax credits (e.g. earned income credit, child tax credit), local/city taxes, pre-tax contributions (401k, HSA, FSA), self-employment tax, or additional income sources. Actual take-home pay may differ. Consult a tax professional for personalized advice.
Our Methodology · Data Sources · Salary: BLS OEWS · Tax: IRS + State DOR