United States · Massachusetts · Unemployment insurance · July 2026 table
Massachusetts maximum weekly unemployment benefit.
The $1,105 ceiling, the 50 percent formula, the $25 dependents' allowance with no cap, and the 36 percent limit on total benefits, from the U.S. Department of Labor table of state provisions effective July 2026.
Short answer: The maximum weekly unemployment benefit in Massachusetts is $1,105, excluding the dependents' allowance, and the minimum is $60, in the U.S. Department of Labor table of state provisions effective July 2026. The weekly amount is 50% of your average weekly wage plus $25 for each dependent, and the table shows no cap on the dependents' allowance. To qualify you need base period wages of at least 30 times the weekly benefit amount and at least $6,300. The maximum total benefit is the lesser of 36% of base period wages or 30 times the weekly amount, giving 10 to 30 weeks depending on your wages and the state unemployment rate. Massachusetts has the highest base maximum of any state in the table except Washington ($1,208).
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Massachusetts in the July 2026 DOL table
| Provision | Massachusetts, effective July 2026 |
|---|---|
| Weekly benefit amount | 50% of average weekly wage + $25 per dependent (no cap on the dependents' allowance) |
| Minimum weekly benefit | $60 (no cap on DA) |
| Maximum weekly benefit | $1,105 (no cap on DA) |
| Wages needed to qualify | 30 x WBA; $6,300 minimum |
| Maximum benefit amount | Lesser of 36% of base period wages or 30 x WBA |
| Benefit weeks payable | 10 to 30 (depends on base period wages and the state unemployment rate, DOL note 5) |
| Earnings disregarded while claiming | 1/3 WBA |
| Taxable wage base (employer side) | $15,000 |
The DOL publishes this comparison each January and July and says it is informational rather than an official interpretation; the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance decides claims. The state's benefit page could not be read on the build day (it refused automated requests), so every figure here is from the DOL table and should be confirmed against the state when you file.
How the weekly amount is worked out
Massachusetts pays half of your average weekly wage. An average weekly wage of $1,400 gives $700; $2,210 gives $1,105, the ceiling; a higher wage still pays $1,105. The floor is $60. On top of that the state adds $25 a week for each dependent, and the DOL table marks both the minimum and the maximum as having no cap on the dependents' allowance, so a claimant at the $1,105 ceiling with three dependents receives $1,180. The average weekly wage itself comes from the agency's monetary determination; this page does not compute it from quarterly wages because the DOL table does not state that method.
How long it lasts
Your total entitlement is the lesser of 36% of your base period wages or 30 times your weekly benefit amount. That is why the table shows a range of 10 to 30 weeks rather than a single number, and the DOL's note 5 adds that the number of weeks in Massachusetts also depends on the state's unemployment rate. Regular benefits only: extended benefits in high-unemployment periods are excluded from the table. The 30-week ceiling is the longest regular duration in the table; most states stop at 26.
Worked example
Average weekly wage $1,400, two dependent children, base period wages $40,000: WBA = 50% x $1,400 = $700, plus 2 x $25 = $50, so $750 a week. Qualifying wages needed: the greater of 30 x $700 = $21,000 and $6,300, which $40,000 clears. Maximum benefit amount: 36% of $40,000 = $14,400 versus 30 x $700 = $21,000; the lesser is $14,400, about 20.6 weeks of the $700 base amount. Second case, average weekly wage $3,000 and base period $100,000: 50% is $1,500, held to $1,105; 36% of $100,000 = $36,000 versus 30 x $1,105 = $33,150; the lesser is $33,150, the full 30 weeks. Earnings up to one-third of the weekly amount, $368.33 at the ceiling, are disregarded while claiming.
Method
WBA = 50% of the average weekly wage you enter, rounded to the nearest dollar (DERIVED rounding), held between the $60 minimum and $1,105 maximum, plus $25 per dependent with no cap. With base period wages entered, the maximum benefit amount is the lesser of 36% of those wages or 30 x WBA, the weeks shown are that amount divided by the WBA, and the qualifying test is wages of at least 30 x WBA and at least $6,300. Figures read on November 11, 2026 from the DOL Significant Provisions table effective July 2026. The tool does not compute the average weekly wage from quarterly wages or check non-monetary eligibility.
What this does not cover
- How the state computes your average weekly wage from quarterly wages, which the DOL table does not state.
- Whether you qualify on non-monetary grounds: the reason you left work, availability and work search.
- Extended benefits and federal programs.
- Who counts as a dependent for the $25 allowance.
Figures read from the sources below on November 11, 2026. Last updated November 11, 2026.
Sources
Common mix-ups
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Often assumedThe $1,105 maximum includes the dependents allowance.
What the source saysThe DOL table lists the $1,105 maximum with no cap on the dependents' allowance, which is $25 per dependent on top of the weekly amount. [1]
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Often assumedMassachusetts pays 26 weeks like most states.
What the source saysThe table shows 10 to 30 weeks: the lesser of 36% of base period wages or 30 times the weekly amount, with the weeks also depending on the state unemployment rate. [1]
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Often assumedMassachusetts sets the weekly amount from your most recent paycheck.
What the source saysThe DOL table shows 50% of the average weekly wage over the base period, between $60 and $1,105, plus $25 per dependent. [1]
Checked against these sources on .
Frequently asked questions
What is the maximum unemployment benefit in Massachusetts in 2026?
$1,105 a week before the dependents' allowance, in the DOL table of state provisions effective July 2026. The minimum is $60.
How is the Massachusetts weekly benefit calculated?
50% of your average weekly wage plus $25 for each dependent. An average weekly wage of $1,400 gives $700 before dependents.
Is there a cap on the dependents' allowance?
The DOL table marks both the minimum and the maximum as having no cap on the dependents' allowance.
How much do I need to have earned to qualify?
Base period wages of at least 30 times your weekly benefit amount and at least $6,300.
How many weeks does Massachusetts pay?
10 to 30 weeks. The total is the lesser of 36% of base period wages or 30 times the weekly amount, and the DOL notes the weeks also depend on the state unemployment rate.
Which state pays more than Massachusetts?
Only Washington, at $1,208 a week in the July 2026 table.
Is this the official state figure?
It is the U.S. Department of Labor's compilation of Massachusetts law, which the DOL calls informational. Confirm with the Department of Unemployment Assistance when you file.
Not legal or financial advice
This page is general information from an unofficial guide, not legal or financial advice, and it is not affiliated with any state workforce agency or the U.S. Department of Labor. Only the state agency decides eligibility and the amount. Nothing you type is sent anywhere. It runs in your browser.