Entry-level Architect salary in Boston, MA
Based on 77 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Cambridge, Somerville, Newburyport, Salem, Quincy.
Also listed as: Project Architect, Architect Non Licensed
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $72,987 |
| 25th | $73,000 |
| 50th (median) | $78,333 |
| 75th | $80,300 |
| 90th | $85,437 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $62,775 | $62,774 | $64,500 | 18 |
| FY2021 | $60,000 | $57,500 | $72,250 | 30 |
| FY2022 | $62,750 | $56,728 | $68,004 | 44 |
| FY2023 | $72,500 | $69,056 | $78,000 | 45 |
| FY2024 | $73,055 | $72,308 | $80,000 | 44 |
| FY2025 | $73,750 | $72,987 | $79,000 | 50 |
| FY2026 | $80,000 | $78,333 | $84,005 | 27 |
Cost of living
Boston's median entry-level Architect salary of $78,333 is worth about $72,400 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Boston = 108.3).
Compared with all workers here
All Architects, Except Landscape and Naval in the Boston, MA area earned a median of $119,120 in May 2025 (3,930 employed). The H-1B median here is $78,333, 34% lower.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Employers filing at this level
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Sasaki Associates | too few | 9 |
| Perkins & Will | too few | 6 |
| Safdie Architects | too few | 4 |
| Elkus Manfredi Architects | too few | 3 |
| Institute for Human Centered Design | too few | 3 |
| Andrew Sidford Architects | too few | 2 |
| Bargmann Hendrie Plus Archetype | too few | 2 |
| HDR Architecture | too few | 2 |
| Isgenuity | too few | 2 |
| Lee Kennedy | too few | 2 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $78,333 | 77 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $98,530 | 19 |
| Senior · Level III | too few | 2 |
| Expert · Level IV | too few | 3 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Minimum H-1B salary by level
| Wage level | Prevailing wage (most common) | Median offered salary | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $72,987 | $78,333 | 77 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $89,835 | $98,530 | 19 |
The prevailing wage is the minimum an employer must pay for this job and area. Amounts vary by county within a metro and by wage source.