Entry-level Chemist 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, Woburn, Lexington, Norwood.
Also listed as: Quality Control Chemist, Analytical Chemist
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $76,086 |
| 25th | $76,500 |
| 50th (median) | $79,082 |
| 75th | $85,905 |
| 90th | $94,880 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $57,117 | $54,190 | $63,000 | 24 |
| FY2021 | $59,000 | $57,699 | $61,048 | 25 |
| FY2022 | $65,375 | $60,857 | $74,262 | 32 |
| FY2023 | $67,750 | $67,184 | $74,750 | 26 |
| FY2024 | $71,000 | $69,181 | $79,082 | 24 |
| FY2025 | $79,541 | $76,875 | $85,905 | 36 |
| FY2026 | – | – | – | 7 |
Cost of living
Boston's median entry-level Chemist salary of $79,082 is worth about $73,000 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Boston = 108.3).
Compared with all workers here
All Chemists in the Boston, MA area earned a median of $127,290 in May 2025 (2,960 employed). The H-1B median here is $79,082, 38% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Harvard University | too few | 5 |
| Northeastern University | too few | 4 |
| Dana-Farber Cancer Institute | too few | 3 |
| Eli Lilly and Company | too few | 3 |
| ModernaTX | too few | 3 |
| A Chemtek | too few | 2 |
| Alnylam | too few | 2 |
| Curia Global | too few | 2 |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 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 | $79,082 | 43 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $106,080 | 51 |
| Senior · Level III | $130,424 | 60 |
| Expert · Level IV | $156,964 | 60 |
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 | $76,086 | $79,082 | 43 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $97,760 | $106,080 | 51 |
| Senior · Level III | $119,413 | $130,424 | 60 |
| Expert · Level IV | $141,086 | $156,964 | 60 |
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.