Entry-level Civil Engineer salary in Boston, MA
Based on 81 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Waltham, Wakefield, Cambridge, Tewksbury, Woburn.
Also listed as: Structural Engineer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $75,878 |
| 25th | $80,000 |
| 50th (median) | $82,720 |
| 75th | $87,048 |
| 90th | $93,600 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $64,480 | $60,382 | $75,000 | 47 |
| FY2021 | $67,400 | $65,000 | $72,349 | 40 |
| FY2022 | $70,000 | $66,310 | $75,000 | 35 |
| FY2023 | $72,530 | $69,992 | $76,262 | 20 |
| FY2024 | $78,438 | $74,360 | $85,388 | 28 |
| FY2025 | $81,120 | $75,878 | $85,000 | 45 |
| FY2026 | $85,000 | $80,642 | $88,350 | 36 |
Cost of living
Boston's median entry-level Civil Engineer salary of $82,720 is worth about $76,400 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Boston = 108.3).
Compared with all workers here
All Civil Engineers in the Boston, MA area earned a median of $107,670 in May 2025 (7,970 employed). The H-1B median here is $82,720, 23% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| ATANE Engineers, P.C. | too few | 9 |
| Terracon Consultants | too few | 4 |
| GEI Consultants | too few | 3 |
| LeMessurier Consultants | too few | 3 |
| Northstar Project and Real Estate Services | too few | 3 |
| Stantec Consulting Services | too few | 3 |
| WSP | too few | 2 |
| Bloom Companies | too few | 2 |
| BlueWave Project Development | too few | 2 |
| Bplusac | 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 | $82,720 | 81 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $98,654 | 52 |
| Senior · Level III | $118,280 | 34 |
| Expert · Level IV | $139,680 | 12 |
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 | $75,878 | $82,720 | 81 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $98,654 | $98,654 | 52 |
| Senior · Level III | $116,688 | $118,280 | 34 |
| Expert · Level IV | $126,922 | $139,680 | 12 |
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.