Expert Mechanical Engineer salary in Boston, MA
Based on 44 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Cambridge, Waltham, Danvers, Wilmington, Andover.
Also listed as: Mechanical Design Engineer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $135,200 |
| 25th | $140,587 |
| 50th (median) | $148,717 |
| 75th | $167,000 |
| 90th | $187,330 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $130,000 | $117,427 | $149,858 | 15 |
| FY2021 | $125,000 | $120,000 | $156,517 | 15 |
| FY2022 | $139,922 | $127,084 | $150,000 | 19 |
| FY2023 | $133,120 | $129,168 | $144,438 | 19 |
| FY2024 | $137,600 | $128,575 | $157,575 | 22 |
| FY2025 | $143,800 | $135,200 | $158,306 | 19 |
| FY2026 | $149,428 | $141,000 | $171,216 | 25 |
Cost of living
Boston's median expert Mechanical Engineer salary of $148,717 is worth about $137,400 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Boston = 108.3).
Compared with all workers here
All Mechanical Engineers in the Boston, MA area earned a median of $119,300 in May 2025 (6,890 employed). The H-1B median here is $148,717, 25% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Abiomed | too few | 3 |
| Applied Materials | too few | 2 |
| Dassault Systemes Americas | too few | 2 |
| Form Energy | too few | 2 |
| Lila Sciences | too few | 2 |
| ModernaTX | too few | 2 |
| Symbotic | 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 | $85,000 | 68 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $103,231 | 96 |
| Senior · Level III | $129,329 | 58 |
| Expert · Level IV | $148,717 | 44 |
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 | $84,531 | $85,000 | 68 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $103,210 | $103,231 | 96 |
| Senior · Level III | $121,909 | $129,329 | 58 |
| Expert · Level IV | $140,587 | $148,717 | 44 |
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.