Entry-level Biological Technician salary in Boston, MA

Based on 43 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Cambridge, Waltham, Lexington, Beverly, Norwood.

Also listed as: Research Associate (Biology)

Median salary$49,790
Middle 50%$47.5k–$55.3k
vs. all levels here−29%comparison median $70,000
Filings43FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $44,387 and $375,136.
PercentileSalary
10th$44,387
25th$47,500
50th (median)$49,790
75th$55,250
90th$64,089

Salary by year

Median salary

$30k $45k $60k FY2020: median $44,000 (21 filings) FY2021: median $42,164 (28 filings) FY2022: median $45,375 (14 filings) FY2023: median $51,023 (24 filings) FY2024: median $49,691 (18 filings) FY2025: median $49,472 (20 filings) FY2026: median $50,000 (23 filings) FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26

Filings per year

FY2020: 21 filings FY20 FY2021: 28 filings FY21 FY2022: 14 filings FY22 FY2023: 24 filings FY23 FY2024: 18 filings FY24 FY2025: 20 filings FY25 FY2026: 23 filings FY26 28
Shaded: FY2025–FY2026, the years behind the figures above. Median shown for years with at least 10 filings. FY2026 covers Q1–Q3 only.
Show as table
Fiscal yearMedianP25P75Filings
FY2020$44,000$41,000$47,47621
FY2021$42,164$39,327$44,19728
FY2022$45,375$43,065$51,63114
FY2023$51,023$43,576$55,45924
FY2024$49,691$46,460$53,66218
FY2025$49,472$47,875$53,19120
FY2026$50,000$44,694$55,25023

Cost of living

Boston's median entry-level Biological Technician salary of $49,790 is worth about $46,000 at national average prices.

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Boston = 108.3).

Compared with all workers here

All Biological Technicians in the Boston, MA area earned a median of $61,610 in May 2025 (7,320 employed). The H-1B median here is $49,790, 19% 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

EmployerMedianFilings
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute$49,43320
Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Researchtoo few7
Brigham and Women's Hospitaltoo few3
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centertoo few2
InnDura Therapeuticstoo few2

Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.

By experience level

Wage levelMedianFilings
Entry-level · Level I $49,790 43
Mid-level · Level II $62,400 49
Senior · Level III $72,967 45
Expert · Level IV $87,000 28

Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.

Minimum H-1B salary by level

Wage levelPrevailing wage (most common)Median offered salaryFilings
Entry-level · Level I$44,387$49,79043
Mid-level · Level II$57,741$62,40049
Senior · Level III$67,621$72,96745
Expert · Level IV$77,501$87,00028

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.