Bacterial culture (wound) cost in Massachusetts
In Massachusetts, 33 hospitals publish a cash price for bacterial culture of a sample other than urine, blood or stool (wound, throat, fluid): from $15.32 to $178.00, with a median of $40.00. The lowest price is at Boston Medical Center South (Brockton). The highest price is 11.6× the lowest.
Outpatient cash prices, one line per hospital — its lowest listed price for code 87070. Prices for both sides of the body and inpatient prices are not mixed in. Collected Sep 29, 2026. See them on a map
Lowest$15.32Boston Medical Center South
Median$40.00half pay less
Highest$178.00in Massachusetts
Lowest saves$24.68vs the median
Hospitals in Massachusetts, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | File date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Medical Center South lowest Brockton · Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH HC Chg Cul Bact Xcpt Urine Blood/Stool Aerobic Isol | $15.32 | $34.04 | — source file |
| The Mercy Hospital Springfield · Springfield, MA HC Labcorp Culture Wound | $16.90 | $26.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Boston Medical Center Brighton Boston · Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH HC Chg Cul Bact Xcpt Urine Blood/Stool Aerobic Isol | $17.42 | $38.71 | — source file |
| Lowell General Hospital Lowell · Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH HC Bacterial Culture - Respiratory T-Misc | $21.00 | $30.00 | — source file |
| Melrosewakefield Healthcare Melrose · Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH HC Bacterial Culture - Eye | $21.00 | $30.00 | — source file |
| Tufts Medical Center Boston · Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH HC Bacterial Culture - Tissue | $21.00 | $30.00 | — source file |
| Signature Healthcare Brockton Hospital Brockton · Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH CULTURE-OTHER SOURCE | $25.20 | $36.00 | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| Emerson Hospital Concord · Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH BACTERIAL SCREEN | $27.00 | $36.00 | May 18, 2026 source file |
| Berkshire Medical Center Pittsfield · Pittsfield, MA CSF Culture s/o | $27.03 | $28.45 | Mar 25, 2026 source file |
| Fairview Hospital Great Barrington · Pittsfield, MA CSF Culture s/o | $27.03 | $28.45 | Mar 25, 2026 source file |
| North Adams Regional Hospital North Adams · Pittsfield, MA CSF Culture s/o | $27.03 | $28.45 | Mar 25, 2026 source file |
| Holyoke Medical Center Holyoke · Springfield, MA Culture Othr Specimn Aerobic | $33.00 | $33.00 | — source file |
| Brown University Health Morton Hospital Taunton · Providence-Warwick, RI-MA HC CULTURE WOUND | $33.71 | $33.71 | — source file |
| Southcoast Hospitals Group Fall River · Providence-Warwick, RI-MA HC Culture Spec- Bacteria- Not Urine-Stool-Blood | $37.50 | $75.00 | — source file |
| Southcoast Hospitals Group - St. Luke's Hospital St. New Bedford · Providence-Warwick, RI-MA HC Culture Spec- Bacteria- Not Urine-Stool-Blood | $37.50 | $75.00 | — source file |
| Southcoast Hospitals Group - Tobey Hospital Campus Wareham · Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH HC Culture Spec- Bacteria- Not Urine-Stool-Blood | $37.50 | $75.00 | — source file |
| Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Boston · Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH CHG CUL BACT XCPT URINE BLOOD/STOOL AEROBIC ISOL | $40.00 | $40.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Saint Anne's Hospital Fall River · Providence-Warwick, RI-MA HC CULTURE CSF | $41.68 | $41.68 | — source file |
| Boston Medical Center Boston · Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH HC Chg Cul Bact Xcpt Urine Blood/Stool Aerobic Isol | $41.85 | $93.00 | — source file |
| Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Milton Milton · Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH CHG CUL BACT XCPT URINE BLOOD/STOOL AEROBIC ISOL | $54.00 | $54.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Cambridge Health Alliance Cambridge · Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH HC Culture, Bacterial Not Urine Blood or Stool | $64.00 | $64.00 | — source file |
| Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital - Needham Needham · Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH CHG CUL BACT XCPT URINE BLOOD/STOOL AEROBIC ISOL | $68.00 | $68.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital - Plymouth Plymouth · Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH CHG CUL BACT XCPT URINE BLOOD/STOOL AEROBIC ISOL | $72.00 | $72.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Shriners Childrens - Boston Boston · Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH BACTERIAL CULTURE; ANY OTHER SOURCE EXCEPT URINE; BLOOD OR STOOL; AEROBIC | $83.40 | $83.40 | — source file |
| Anna Jaques Hospital Newburyport · Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH CHG CUL BACT XCPT URINE BLOOD/STOOL AEROBIC ISOL | $85.00 | $85.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Milford Regional Medical Center Milford · Worcester, MA Culture Other Specimen Aerob | $91.00 | $91.00 | — source file |
| New England Baptist Hospital Boston · Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH CHG CUL BACT XCPT URINE BLOOD/STOOL AEROBIC ISOL | $93.00 | $93.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Mount Auburn Hospital Cambridge · Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH CHG CUL BACT XCPT URINE BLOOD/STOOL AEROBIC ISOL | $98.00 | $98.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| UMass Memorial Health - Harrington Hospital Southbridge · Worcester, MA HC Culture Bacterial Except Urine/Blood/Stool | $107.00 | $107.00 | Apr 3, 2026 source file |
| Lahey Hospital & Medical Center, Burlington Burlington · Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH CHG CUL BACT XCPT URINE BLOOD/STOOL AEROBIC ISOL | $116.00 | $116.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| UMass Memorial Medical Center Worcester · Worcester, MA HC Culture Bacterial Except Urine/Blood/Stool | $134.00 | $134.00 | Mar 26, 2026 source file |
| HealthAlliance - Clinton Hospital Leominster · Worcester, MA HC Culture Bacterial Except Urine/Blood/Stool | $136.00 | $136.00 | Mar 26, 2026 source file |
| Winchester Hospital Winchester · Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH CHG CUL BACT XCPT URINE BLOOD/STOOL AEROBIC ISOL | $178.00 | $178.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
By metro area
Each metro page compares every listing, including prices for both sides of the body.
| Metro area | Hospitals | Lowest | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 20 | $15.32 | $47.92 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | 4 | $33.71 | $37.50 |
| Worcester, MA | 4 | $91.00 | $120.50 |
| Pittsfield, MA | 3 | $27.03 | $27.03 |
| Springfield, MA | 2 | $16.90 | $24.95 |
What it is
A bacterial culture grows bacteria from a sample such as a wound, throat swab, eye or fluid to find which germ causes an infection. It takes one to three days.
What the price covers
The price usually covers running the test; collecting the sample may be billed separately.
Bacterial culture of a sample other than urine, blood or stool (wound, throat, fluid) in other states
- Alabama$76.99
- Alaska$144.65
- Arizona$67.60
- Arkansas$38.48
- California$133.00
- Colorado$99.60
- Connecticut$48.32
- Delaware$199.38
- District of Columbia$89.70
- Florida$86.20
- Georgia$82.46
- Hawaii$80.40
- Idaho$58.88
- Illinois$90.00
- Indiana$93.42
- Iowa$60.23
- Kansas$59.19
- Kentucky$103.20
- Louisiana$28.15
- Maine$61.51
- Maryland$112.37
- Michigan$53.00
- Minnesota$68.69
- Mississippi$53.04
- Missouri$68.30
- Montana$65.00
- Nebraska$77.42
- Nevada$112.00
- New Hampshire$92.10
- New Jersey$29.16
- New Mexico$84.78
- New York$39.59
- North Carolina$77.74
- North Dakota$64.80
- Ohio$68.50
- Oklahoma$44.13
- Oregon$52.38
- Pennsylvania$61.20
- Puerto Rico$30.00
- Rhode Island$68.80
- South Carolina$123.54
- South Dakota$89.18
- Tennessee$40.20
- Texas$69.48
- Utah$102.73
- Vermont$84.27
- Virginia$68.95
- Washington$88.20
- West Virginia$50.50
- Wisconsin$77.35
- Wyoming$73.60
Median cash price across the state's hospitals.