Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
How much does a Surgical Assistants actually take home in Massachusetts?
5.0% flat rate — 21.1% effective total tax rateData: BLS OEWS 2025 + IRS/State Tax Brackets 2024 • Updated 2026-05-19
Detailed line-by-line tax calculation for a Surgical Assistants earning $56,430 in Massachusetts (single filer, standard deduction).
| Tax Component | Annual Amount | Effective Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary (Median) | $56,430 | — |
| Federal Income Tax | -$4,787 | 8.5% |
| Massachusetts State Income Tax | -$2,821 | 5.0% |
| Social Security (OASDI) | -$3,498 | 6.2% |
| Medicare | -$818 | 1.5% |
| Total Taxes | -$11,925 | 21.1% |
| Take-Home Pay | $44,504 | 78.9% |
Take-home pay varies significantly across experience levels. Here is the after-tax breakdown for each salary percentile of Surgical Assistants in Massachusetts.
| Percentile | Gross Salary | Total Taxes | Take-Home Pay | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $36,340 | -$6,973 | $29,366 | 19.2% |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $51,650 | -$10,747 | $40,902 | 20.8% |
| Median (P50) | $56,430 | -$11,925 | $44,504 | 21.1% |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $58,370 | -$12,404 | $45,965 | 21.3% |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $62,060 | -$13,344 | $48,715 | 21.5% |
After federal income tax ($4,787), state tax ($2,821), and FICA ($4,316), a Surgical Assistants in Massachusetts takes home $44,504 per year — or $3,708 per month. The effective tax rate of 21.1% is relatively low compared to the national range.
With an effective total rate of 21.1%, a Surgical Assistants in Massachusetts keeps $44,504 of $56,430 gross — roughly typical for U.S. middle-income earners once federal, FICA and state taxes are combined.
Massachusetts applies a flat state income tax — every dollar of wage income is taxed at the same rate. For this Surgical Assistants salary that contributes $2,822 to the 5.0% effective state-tax burden.
Federal tax on this Surgical Assistants salary is $4,788 (40%), but combined state ($2,822, 24%) + FICA ($4,317, 36%) make up the other 60% of the bill.
Moving this same Surgical Assistants salary to a zero-state-tax state would yield around $47,326 net — a gain of $2,822 (6.3%) per year versus Massachusetts.
Massachusetts ranks #33 of 44 states for Surgical Assistants after-tax pay — lower half of the national distribution. Either gross wages trail the national median, state tax is elevated, or both.
Translated into paycheck cadences, $44,504 net/year works out to $3,709/month or $1,712/bi-weekly for this Surgical Assistants in Massachusetts — the numbers that actually hit a checking account after every deduction.
Where does a Surgical Assistants keep the most of their paycheck? Top 10 states ranked by after-tax take-home pay.
Massachusetts ranks #33 out of 44 states for Surgical Assistants after-tax take-home pay.
A Surgical Assistants in Massachusetts earning a median salary of $56,430 will take home approximately $44,504 per year after federal income tax ($4,787), state income tax ($2,821), and FICA ($4,316). That is $3,708 per month or $1,711 per bi-weekly paycheck.
The effective total tax rate for a Surgical Assistants in Massachusetts is 21.1%, broken down as: federal income tax 8.5%, Massachusetts state tax 5.0%, and FICA (Social Security + Medicare) 7.6%. This assumes a single filer with the standard deduction for 2024.
Massachusetts has a 5.0% flat rate. On a Surgical Assistants's median salary of $56,430, the state income tax amounts to $2,821 per year, which is an effective state rate of 5.0%.
After all taxes, a Surgical Assistants in Massachusetts takes home approximately $3,708 per month, or about $21.40 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 $56,430 for Surgical Assistants 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 — $44,504/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