Expert Data Scientist salary in Boston, MA
Based on 377 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV 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 | $148,762 |
| 25th | $161,803 |
| 50th (median) | $169,000 |
| 75th | $187,000 |
| 90th | $219,400 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $139,360 | $126,290 | $160,850 | 23 |
| FY2021 | $130,000 | $111,514 | $142,500 | 31 |
| FY2022 | $142,800 | $125,000 | $160,325 | 71 |
| FY2023 | $150,000 | $139,866 | $170,214 | 136 |
| FY2024 | $158,500 | $145,000 | $185,400 | 161 |
| FY2025 | $164,282 | $149,750 | $188,296 | 172 |
| FY2026 | $170,000 | $161,803 | $186,300 | 205 |
Cost of living
Boston's median expert Data Scientist salary of $169,000 is worth about $156,100 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 $169,000, 28% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Fidelity Investments | $161,803 | 26 |
| Wayfair | $184,000 | 26 |
| Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated | $161,803 | 15 |
| Biogen | $168,000 | 11 |
| CVS Health | too few | 8 |
| Takeda Development Center Americas | too few | 7 |
| Boston Consulting Group | too few | 6 |
| Humana | too few | 4 |
| McKinsey & Company | too few | 4 |
| Adobe | too few | 4 |
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.