Expert Chemist salary in Boston, MA
Based on 60 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV 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 | $141,086 |
| 25th | $150,230 |
| 50th (median) | $156,964 |
| 75th | $167,000 |
| 90th | $185,100 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $118,500 | $114,410 | $128,500 | 16 |
| FY2021 | $125,000 | $116,950 | $140,000 | 39 |
| FY2022 | $130,000 | $122,850 | $137,447 | 48 |
| FY2023 | $132,500 | $129,584 | $144,500 | 25 |
| FY2024 | $141,142 | $137,030 | $170,349 | 28 |
| FY2025 | $156,928 | $145,012 | $164,241 | 42 |
| FY2026 | $159,103 | $152,126 | $179,850 | 18 |
Cost of living
Boston's median expert Chemist salary of $156,964 is worth about $145,000 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 $156,964, 23% higher.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Eli Lilly and Company | too few | 7 |
| ModernaTX | too few | 5 |
| Wave Life Sciences | too few | 5 |
| Alkermes | too few | 4 |
| Bristol-Myers Squibb Company | too few | 4 |
| Blueprint Medicines | too few | 2 |
| Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research | too few | 2 |
| Sanofi Pasteur | too few | 2 |
| Takeda Development Center Americas | too few | 2 |
| Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated | 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.