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What is the boiling point of a saturated salt water solution?

By The Salt AlmanacUpdated November 8, 20262 sources cited

Short answer

A saturated sodium chloride solution boils at about 108.7 °C (227.7 °F) at sea level, roughly 9 °C higher than pure water. Dissolved salt raises the boiling point because the ions make it harder for water molecules to escape as vapour. Ordinary salted cooking water boils only a tiny fraction of a degree above 100 °C.

The Salt Almanac

Boiling points at sea level

123
99 °C110 °C
  1. 1Pure water 100 °C
  2. 2Seawater ≈ 100.6 °C
  3. 3Saturated brine ≈ 108.7 °C
Graphic: The Salt Almanac, drawn from the sources listed below.

Boiling-point elevation

Dissolved particles reduce the vapour pressure of water, so it must reach a higher temperature before it boils. The effect grows with concentration.

Comparing

Pure water100 °C (212 °F)
Pasta water (≈ 1%)≈ 100.2 °C
Seawater (≈ 3.5%)≈ 100.6 °C
Saturated brine (≈ 26%)≈ 108.7 °C (227.7 °F)

Altitude matters too

At higher altitudes, lower air pressure lowers boiling points, for salt water as well as fresh.

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For school projects and reports. Teachers often prefer the original sources too: see the list below.

The Salt Almanac. (2026, November 8). What is the boiling point of a saturated salt water solution. https://saltalmanac.com/answers/what-is-the-boiling-point-of-a-saturated-salt-water-solution

Original sources

  1. Wikipedia. Boiling-point elevation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boiling-point_elevation
  2. Wikipedia. Brine. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brine