Salaries in Lawrence, MA

Lawrence is a city that's been quietly beating the national average on job growth, but its salary story is a tricky one. You’ll find more software developers here than you might expect for a former mill town, and they’re pulling in six figures. The real surprise? It’s not the usual suspects driving the local economy.

Let’s talk purchasing power. Lawrence’s cost of living sits at 111.6, meaning you’re paying about 12% more than the typical American just to live here. That $1,483 median rent for a one-bedroom apartment eats up a big chunk of that median household income of $58,079. While the top-paying jobs offer solid gross numbers, the cost-of-living-adjusted salaries reveal a tighter squeeze. A marketing manager’s $163,105 salary, for instance, drops to a real-world equivalent of $146,151 when you factor in those local prices.

So, who’s actually thriving here? The data points to a handful of key sectors. Healthcare is a major employer, with large institutions like the Lawrence General Hospital system anchoring the pharmacist salaries you see. Construction and project management roles are robust, likely tied to ongoing infrastructure and development projects in this Merrimack Valley hub. And surprisingly, that software developer figure suggests a growing tech footprint, perhaps in specialized fields or as remote workers who choose Lawrence for its location and relative affordability compared to Boston.

Here’s my honest take: wages aren’t exploding to match that rising cost of living. The 3.5% unemployment rate is tight, which gives workers some leverage, but the low percentage of residents with a bachelor’s degree (just 15.3%) means many are locked out of those top-paying fields. This city works well if you’re in one of those high-skill professions or if you’re part of a dual-income household. For others, it’s a tight financial balance.

The numbers below will break down exactly what you can expect to earn in Lawrence’s key roles, both before and after that cost-of-living reality check.