Entry-level Molecular and Cellular Biologist salary in Boston, MA
Based on 501 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Cambridge, Waltham, Somerville, Lexington, Watertown.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $66,228 |
| 25th | $70,470 |
| 50th (median) | $76,000 |
| 75th | $80,000 |
| 90th | $92,820 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $55,316 | $52,896 | $60,000 | 227 |
| FY2021 | $58,608 | $54,540 | $65,000 | 367 |
| FY2022 | $60,000 | $55,224 | $65,848 | 387 |
| FY2023 | $67,000 | $64,000 | $74,695 | 339 |
| FY2024 | $75,000 | $70,000 | $82,958 | 292 |
| FY2025 | $76,000 | $71,750 | $80,000 | 293 |
| FY2026 | $75,000 | $70,000 | $80,000 | 208 |
Cost of living
Boston's median entry-level Molecular and Cellular Biologist salary of $76,000 is worth about $70,200 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Boston = 108.3).
Compared with all workers here
All Molecular and Cellular Biologists in the Boston, MA area earned a median of $110,410 in May 2025 (2,630 employed). The H-1B median here is $76,000, 31% lower.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Dana-Farber Cancer Institute | $76,000 | 170 |
| The Broad Institute | $78,775 | 58 |
| Harvard University | $76,000 | 54 |
| Zifo Technologies | $72,000 | 27 |
| Trustees Of Boston University | $70,000 | 24 |
| Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center | $61,381 | 19 |
| Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research | $74,500 | 13 |
| AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals | too few | 8 |
| Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research | too few | 8 |
| Joslin Diabetes Center | 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 | $76,000 | 501 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $91,978 | 517 |
| Senior · Level III | $115,000 | 256 |
| Expert · Level IV | $143,461 | 162 |
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 | $61,381 | $76,000 | 501 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $91,978 | $91,978 | 517 |
| Senior · Level III | $113,464 | $115,000 | 256 |
| Expert · Level IV | $134,971 | $143,461 | 162 |
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.