Materials Engineer salary in Boston, MA
Based on 50 certified H-1B filings in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Woburn, Cambridge, Billerica, Gloucester, Malden.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $83,595 |
| 25th | $103,138 |
| 50th (median) | $120,000 |
| 75th | $136,000 |
| 90th | $155,003 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $96,100 | $75,000 | $105,000 | 23 |
| FY2021 | $88,827 | $80,887 | $99,677 | 30 |
| FY2022 | $104,021 | $88,000 | $118,750 | 19 |
| FY2023 | $102,265 | $91,871 | $123,750 | 14 |
| FY2024 | $105,810 | $94,887 | $122,525 | 27 |
| FY2025 | $117,327 | $98,437 | $134,561 | 27 |
| FY2026 | $128,250 | $106,580 | $144,416 | 23 |
Cost of living
Boston's median Materials Engineer salary of $120,000 is worth about $110,800 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Boston = 108.3).
Compared with all workers here
All Materials Engineers in the Boston, MA area earned a median of $111,480 in May 2025 (1,020 employed). The H-1B median here is $120,000, 8% higher.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Top employers filing
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Applied Materials | too few | 4 |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | too few | 4 |
| actnano | too few | 2 |
| AM Batteries | too few | 2 |
| Boston Electrometallurgical | too few | 2 |
| Daqus Energy | too few | 2 |
| E Ink | too few | 2 |
| Skyworks Solutions | 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 | $89,211 | 12 |
| Mid-level · Level II | – | 0 |
| Senior · Level III | $127,728 | 19 |
| Expert · Level IV | $155,000 | 11 |
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 | $83,554 | $89,211 | 12 |
| Senior · Level III | $118,227 | $127,728 | 19 |
| Expert · Level IV | $134,389 | $155,000 | 11 |
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.