Senior Lawyer salary in Boston, MA
Based on 14 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Cambridge, Waltham, Everett, Burlington, Lexington.
Also listed as: Attorney, Associate Lawyer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $216,500 |
| 25th | $232,500 |
| 50th (median) | $255,000 |
| 75th | $351,250 |
| 90th | $382,500 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $210,000 | $195,000 | $236,250 | 12 |
| FY2021 | $190,000 | $176,040 | $215,000 | 10 |
| FY2022 | – | – | – | 7 |
| FY2023 | $250,000 | $237,500 | $372,500 | 11 |
| FY2024 | – | – | – | 5 |
| FY2025 | – | – | – | 8 |
| FY2026 | – | – | – | 6 |
Cost of living
Boston's median senior Lawyer salary of $255,000 is worth about $235,500 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Boston = 108.3).
Compared with all workers here
All Lawyers in the Boston, MA area earned a median of $183,350 in May 2025 (20,080 employed). The H-1B median here is $255,000, 39% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Ropes & Gray | too few | 3 |
| Goodwin Procter | too few | 2 |
| Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr | 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 | $146,177 | 39 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $260,000 | 26 |
| Senior · Level III | $255,000 | 14 |
| Expert · Level IV | $435,000 | 10 |
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 | $99,840 | $146,177 | 39 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $163,030 | $260,000 | 26 |
| Senior · Level III | $196,602 | $255,000 | 14 |
| Expert · Level IV | $289,390 | $435,000 | 10 |
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.