Entry-level Data Scientist salary in Boston, MA
Based on 425 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Cambridge, Waltham, Quincy, Framingham, Burlington.
Also listed as: Machine Learning Scientist
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $79,914 |
| 25th | $80,000 |
| 50th (median) | $90,230 |
| 75th | $100,000 |
| 90th | $114,580 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $81,320 | $65,075 | $109,000 | 56 |
| FY2021 | $75,262 | $61,500 | $87,925 | 32 |
| FY2022 | $80,000 | $58,198 | $104,250 | 43 |
| FY2023 | $80,000 | $68,000 | $92,000 | 149 |
| FY2024 | $82,971 | $75,000 | $92,395 | 199 |
| FY2025 | $83,705 | $79,914 | $94,747 | 240 |
| FY2026 | $95,000 | $90,230 | $108,952 | 185 |
Cost of living
Boston's median entry-level Data Scientist salary of $90,230 is worth about $83,300 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Boston = 108.3).
Compared with all workers here
All Data Scientists in the Boston, MA area earned a median of $132,040 in May 2025 (7,930 employed). The H-1B median here is $90,230, 32% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | $90,395 | 18 |
| Wayfair | $96,075 | 17 |
| Boston Consulting Group | $110,000 | 10 |
| General Hospital | $74,659 | 10 |
| Staples | too few | 9 |
| Brigham and Women's Hospital | too few | 7 |
| Dana-Farber Cancer Institute | too few | 7 |
| Citizens Financial Group | too few | 6 |
| State Street Bank and Trust Company | too few | 6 |
| Boston Medical Center | too few | 5 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $90,230 | 425 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $114,400 | 695 |
| Senior · Level III | $141,691 | 398 |
| Expert · Level IV | $169,000 | 377 |
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 | $79,914 | $90,230 | 425 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $114,088 | $114,400 | 695 |
| Senior · Level III | $125,819 | $141,691 | 398 |
| Expert · Level IV | $161,803 | $169,000 | 377 |
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.