Moving between states / Massachusetts
Alaskato
Massachusetts, RN or LPNMoving from Alaska to Massachusetts as a registered or practical nurse
What a registered or practical nurse licensed in Alaska has to do to work in Massachusetts, what the move does to your pay, and who in Massachusetts is hiring from out of state.
Endorsement needed. Neither Alaska nor Massachusetts is in the Nurse Licensure Compact. You apply to the Massachusetts Board of Nursing for licensure by endorsement: verification of your Alaska licence through Nursys, a fingerprint background check and the fee. Start before you give notice; six to twelve weeks is normal.
What the move does to your paycheck
On a $60,000 salary Massachusetts takes roughly $3,000 a year more than Alaska does, because you are leaving a state with no income tax on wages.
| Salary | Alaska state tax | Massachusetts state tax | Difference a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $0 | $2,000 | -$2,000 |
| $60,000 | $0 | $3,000 | -$3,000 |
| $90,000 | $0 | $4,500 | -$4,500 |
Rough figures for a single filer: exact in the flat-rate and no-tax states, approximated at 70% of the top bracket in the progressive ones. In Massachusetts: plus 4% on income above about $1 million. Property and sales tax are not in it.
CNA: Alaska to Massachusetts
Transfers by reciprocity. Your Alaska certificate stays on the Alaska Board of Nursing (Certified Nurse Aide program); to work in Massachusetts you apply to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Nurse Aide Registry for reciprocity. It accepts an active certificate in good standing from another state; there is no retest if your record is clean. Most registries list you within two to six weeks.
Electrician: Alaska to Massachusetts
Exam required. Massachusetts licenses electricians through the Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Electricians and does not reciprocate with any state. Your Alaska hours count toward eligibility, so get them certified in writing by the Alaska Department of Labor, Mechanical Inspection before you move and book the Massachusetts exam early.
CDL: Alaska to Massachusetts
Transfers at the DMV. A commercial driver's licence transfers like any licence: within 30 days of becoming a Massachusetts resident you surrender the Alaska CDL at a Massachusetts driver licence office, pass the vision test, pay the fee, and your endorsements carry over. A hazmat endorsement needs a fresh TSA threat assessment in Massachusetts. Your driving record follows you through the federal CDLIS system.
Does Massachusetts pay you to come?
No statewide program in Massachusetts pays people to move in. Towns sometimes list an offer through MakeMyMove, and employers in short-staffed trades pay relocation themselves; ask for it in writing before you accept.
Going the other way? Alaska has Permanent Fund Dividend. See moving from Massachusetts to Alaska.
Openings filed in Massachusetts
67 open positions filed with the Department of Labor by Massachusetts employers who could not fill them locally.
- Field Sales ConsultantSunrun · Springfield
- Senior Asset Manager-LIHTCBank of America · Boston
- FarmworkerCupp & Sons, LLC · Littleton · $15.29/hr
- Director, Treasury Sales Officer IIBank of America · Boston
- Financial Solutions Advisor - Boston MarketBank of America · Boston
- VP, Treasury Sales Officer IBank of America · Boston
Your own route from Alaska to Massachusetts
Tell us your trade and your licence. We write the steps for your case, check the job offer for scams, and keep your resume ready for Massachusetts employers.
Plan my move to MassachusettsSame move, by trade
CNA: Alaska to Massachusetts · Electrician: Alaska to Massachusetts · Truck driver: Alaska to Massachusetts · All licences: Alaska to Massachusetts
From Alaska to the states next to Massachusetts
New Hampshire (no state income tax) · Vermont (progressive, top rate 8.75%) · New York (progressive, top rate 10.9%) · Connecticut (progressive, top rate 6.99%) · Rhode Island (progressive, top rate 5.99%)
To Massachusetts from the states next to Alaska
Everything about working in Massachusetts · All moves between states · All 50 states