Senior Systems Engineer / Architect salary in Boston, MA
Based on 410 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Quincy, Cambridge, Portsmouth, Burlington, Framingham.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $115,627 |
| 25th | $115,627 |
| 50th (median) | $124,259 |
| 75th | $135,000 |
| 90th | $150,120 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $95,669 | $92,498 | $110,804 | 337 |
| FY2021 | $100,000 | $90,379 | $127,625 | 340 |
| FY2022 | $101,171 | $89,440 | $120,000 | 374 |
| FY2023 | $116,355 | $101,171 | $143,189 | 256 |
| FY2024 | $123,000 | $116,355 | $135,506 | 283 |
| FY2025 | $124,259 | $124,259 | $138,352 | 217 |
| FY2026 | $116,000 | $115,627 | $133,000 | 193 |
Cost of living
Boston's median senior Systems Engineer / Architect salary of $124,259 is worth about $114,800 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Boston = 108.3).
Compared with all workers here
All Computer Systems Engineers/Architects in the Boston, MA area earned a median of $121,230 in May 2025 (4,800 employed). The H-1B median here is $124,259, 2% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Cognizant | $115,627 | 103 |
| Infosys | $115,627 | 20 |
| Staples | $133,000 | 20 |
| IBM | $124,259 | 14 |
| Compunnel Software Group | $127,000 | 14 |
| Amazon | $169,100 | 13 |
| HCLTech | $123,380 | 10 |
| Tata Consultancy Services | $124,259 | 10 |
| Wipro | too few | 8 |
| Accenture | too few | 7 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $75,000 | 111 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $96,616 | 619 |
| Senior · Level III | $124,259 | 410 |
| Expert · Level IV | $153,046 | 417 |
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 | $68,952 | $75,000 | 111 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $96,616 | $96,616 | 619 |
| Senior · Level III | $115,627 | $124,259 | 410 |
| Expert · Level IV | $140,733 | $153,046 | 417 |
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.