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