Who Makes What
Good news: We're all apparently rolling in money . Massachusetts is the fifth-wealthiest state in America, according to the U.S. Census Bureau — up from sixth in 1990. And that's a good thing, too, considering the cost of living here is 25 percent higher than the national average. Housing prices alone are 55 percent more.
But let's get back to those colossal paychecks: Where is all the money going? Well, the typical Massachusetts CEO takes home 458 times more of it than the typical Bay State worker, an even more dramatic ratio than the nationwide average of 300 to 1. A lot of it also goes to professional athletes — even on the losing teams. Heads of local nonprofits have surprisingly robust paychecks. Parents paying skyrocketing tuition will be especially interested to note what university professors earn for an ever-shrinking academic year that seems now to be limited to the span between September and late April.
And what does it say about society's priorities when Pedro Martinez earns more in an inning than a Boston schoolteacher or police officer takes home in a year? (Which is not to say that the police don't make a pretty good living, once overtime and other perks are added to a new contract that will push their earnings up another 14.5 percent over the next four years.) Or that starting pay for full-time members of the Massachusetts National Guard is only $16,052 a year?
We cover all of these professions, and many more — from obstetrician-gynecologist ($326,885) to gravedigger ($31,284). How does your salary compare?
The Salary Survey
Here's a peek inside your neighbor's paycheck.
The Bosses
James Kilts, CEO, Gillette Company: $17.6 million
Gillette net income last year: $1.4 billion
Joseph Tucci, CEO, EMC: $14.5 million
EMC net income last year: $496 million
Increase over the year before: 518 percent
Thomas Stemberg, chairman, Staples: $11.4 million
Staples net income last year: $490 million
William H. Rastetter, executive chairman,Biogen Idec: $1.2 million
Biogen's net loss last year: $875 million
Mark Levin, CEO, Millennium Pharmaceuticals: $761,356
Millennium's net loss last year: $483.7 million
U.S. median income: $43,564
Massachusetts median income: $53,610
Richest town, per-capita income: Weston, $79,640
Poorest town, per-capita income: Monroe, $12,400
Minimum wage in Massachusetts: $6.75 an hour
Minimum needed to afford a modest two-bedroom apartment: $22.40 an hour
The Jocks
Manny Ramirez, outfielder, Boston Red Sox: $22.5 million
Earnings per hit: $136,363
Pedro Martinez, pitcher, Boston Red Sox: $17.5 million
Earnings per inning pitched: $80,645
Curt Schilling, pitcher, Boston Red Sox: $12 million
Orlando Cabrera, shortstop, Boston Red Sox: $6 million
Earnings per hit: $89,552
Major League Baseball umpire, minimum: $75,000
John Guiney, program vendor, Fenway Park: $35-$40 per game
Doc Rivers, coach, Boston Celtics: $20 million over four years
Paul Pierce, shooting guard, Boston Celtics: $11.3 million
Earnings per point: $6,154
Tom Brady, quarterback, New England Patriots: $3.1 million
Earnings per yard (passing): $856
Ty Law, cornerback, New England Patriots: $6.1 million
Earnings per interception: $1 million
Bill Belichick, coach, New England Patriots: $1.6 million
Cheerleader, New England Patriots: $50 per game
Joe Thornton, center, Boston Bruins: $5.5 million
Earnings per goal: $239,130
Al Skinner, basketball coach, Boston College: $413,610
Tom O'Brien, football coach, Boston College: $393,100
Tim Petrovic, PGA golfer, Northampton: $1.7 million
Meg Mallon, LPGA golfer, Natick: $1.3 million
Culture Club
Malcolm Lowe, concertmaster, Boston Symphony Orchestra: $355,653
John Ferillo, principal oboe, Boston Symphony Orchestra: $215,238
Malcolm Rogers, director, Museum of Fine Arts: $496,372
Anne Hawley, director, Gardner Museum: $221,026
Edmund Toomey, president, New England Aquarium: $262,405
Hospitality Suite
Server, L'Espalier: $2.63 per hour, plus tips
Melissa Dempsey, hostess, Grill 23 & Bar: $12 per hour
Lounge singer, Lucky's Lounge: $45,000
Counter worker, Dunkin' Donuts, North Station: $7 per hour
Health inspector, City of Boston: $49,383
Rachel Green, cashier, Cumberland Farms, South Boston: $8 per hour
Class Distinctions
Aram Chobanian, acting president, Boston University: $604,169
Lawrence Summers, president, Harvard: $516,804
Richard Freeland, president, Northeastern: $500,223
Lawrence Bacow, president, Tufts: $414,475
Jack Wilson, president, UMass system: $402,000
Diana Chapman Walsh, president, Wellesley: $334,814
Jane Mendillo, CIO, Wellesley: $395,632
R. Bruce Journey, president and CEO, MIT Technology Review: $761,175
Joseph B. Martin, dean and professor, Harvard Medical School: $444,769
Kim Clark, dean and professor, Harvard Business School: $407,700
Richard Schmalensee, dean and professor, MIT Sloan School of Management: $395,167
Maurice Samuels, overseas bond manager, Harvard Management Company: $35.1 million
David Mittelman, U.S. bond manager, Harvard Management Company: $34.1 million
Jack Meyer, president, Harvard Management Company: $6.9 million
Professor, Harvard: $157,500
Professor, MIT: $135,100
Professor, Boston College: $119,900
Professor, Northeastern: $108,400
Professor, UMass-Amherst: $90,700
Thomas Payzant, superintendent, Boston Public Schools: $185,000
Warren White, principal, Classical High School, Lynn: $95,000
Stephen Stegemann, custodian, Boston Public Schools: $33,497
Nellie Taylor, teacher, Boston Public Schools: $72,523
Victoria Iscayu, custodian, Harvard: $45 per day
Nanny (live-out), Boston Nanny: $625 per week on average
Substitute teacher, Jaworek Elementary School, Marlborough: $51 per day
State Capital
Social Security retiree, average: $922 per month
Welfare recipient, average: $489 per month
Massachusetts unemployment insurance recipient: $528 per week for up to 30 weeks
Welfare caseworker: $47,833
Law and Order
Kathleen O'Toole, commissioner, Boston police: $160,000
Ronnie Watson, commissioner, Cambridge police: $149,794
Average pay for Boston police patrolman, including overtime and other benefits, before this summer's contract agreement: $81,725
Increase through 2006 under new contract: 14.5 percent
Massachusetts state trooper, starting: $43,584.84
Margaret H. Marshall, chief justice, Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court: $131,512
Massachusetts District Court judge: $158,100
Lawyer, starting, Ropes & Gray: $125,000
Assistant district attorney, starting $35,000
Public defender: $35,000
Corrections officer, median: $32,670
Probation officer, starting: $42,238
Paul Christian, commissioner, Boston Fire Department: $140,000
Lorenzo Thompson, Boston firefighter: $48,299
George W. Keefe, adjutant general, Massachusetts National Guard: $129,587
Massachusetts National Guard member, starting: $16,052.40
Annual state payment to primary survivor of a National Guard member killed in the line of duty: $1,500
Planes, Trains, and Automobiles
Matthew Amorello, chairman, Massachusetts Turnpike Authority: $205,000
Kenneth Hanlon, electrician, Massachusetts Turnpike Authority: $291,284 with overtime
Toll collector, Tobin Bridge: $53,092
Craig Coy, CEO, Massachusetts Port Authority: $250,000
Pilot, Delta Air Lines, with five years' experience: $251.41 per hour
Pilot, JetBlue, entry level: $117.99 per hour
Baggage handler, Logan Airport: $13.03 per hour, on average
Flight attendant, median: $55,254
Transportation Security Administration screener, Logan Airport: $23,600-$35,400
Courier, FedEx, senior level: $19.21 per hour
Driver, UPS, average: $25.40 per hour
Driver, U.S. Postal Service, starting: $16.99 per hour
Letter carrier, U.S. Postal Service, starting: $17.17 per hour
Kevin Cyr, bicycle messenger, Marathon Messenger: $25,000
Salesman, Herb Chambers Porsche: $80,000
Salesman, Boston Volkswagen: $45,000
Amy Donaldson, parking meter supervisor, City of Boston: $27,801
MBTA Green Line operator: $16.76 per hour
Mixed Media
Reporter, Boston Globe, entry level: $42,112
Reporter, Boston Globe, with five years' experience: $70,612
Assistant metro editor, Boston Globe, starting: $72,239
Reporter, Boston Herald, entry level: $42,197
Reporter, Boston Herald, with five years' experience: $51,743
Shawn Feddeman, press secretary, Governor Mitt Romney's office: $87, 295
Seth Gitell, press secretary, Mayor Thomas Menino's office: $92,000
Politics As Usual
John F. Kerry, member, United States Senate: $158,100
Mitt Romney, governor, Commonwealth of Massachusetts: $0
Kerry Healey, lieutenant governor, Commonwealth of Massachusetts: $0
Thomas Menino, mayor, City of Boston: $150,000
Doctors' Orders
Paul Levy, president and CEO, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center: $805,133
Anthony Whittemore, chief medical officer, Brigham & Women's Hospital: $564,711
Kenneth Paulus, president and CEO, Harvard Vanguard: $531,853
Steven Lampert, cardiologist, Harvard Vanguard: $329,608
Elizabeth J. Buechler, obstetrician-gynecologist, Harvard Vanguard: $326,885
Dianne Luby, president, Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts: $184,836
J. Jacques Carter, internist, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center: $139,033
Joan Carson, school nurse, Boston Public Schools: $70,719
Patricia Skinner, senior nurse, Central Boston Elder Services: $54,476
Richard Evans, medical examiner, Commonwealth of Massachusetts: $180,000
Joseph Sandiford, gravedigger, City of Boston: $31,284