Senior Data Scientist salary in Boston, MA
Based on 398 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III 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 | $125,819 |
| 25th | $136,819 |
| 50th (median) | $141,691 |
| 75th | $159,882 |
| 90th | $178,818 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $113,120 | $100,000 | $130,000 | 37 |
| FY2021 | $119,933 | $105,000 | $140,000 | 63 |
| FY2022 | $125,000 | $115,000 | $145,150 | 100 |
| FY2023 | $125,000 | $114,204 | $146,500 | 199 |
| FY2024 | $135,000 | $125,000 | $152,560 | 187 |
| FY2025 | $141,400 | $130,000 | $159,954 | 239 |
| FY2026 | $142,785 | $137,946 | $155,125 | 159 |
Cost of living
Boston's median senior Data Scientist salary of $141,691 is worth about $130,900 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 $141,691, 7% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Wayfair | $140,700 | 39 |
| Amazon | $154,600 | 17 |
| Microsoft | $176,337 | 15 |
| CVS Health | $138,350 | 10 |
| Chewy | too few | 9 |
| Takeda Development Center Americas | too few | 7 |
| Staples | too few | 6 |
| McKinsey & Company | too few | 5 |
| Boston Medical Center | too few | 5 |
| Liberty Mutual Group | 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.