Expert Molecular and Cellular Biologist salary in Boston, MA
Based on 162 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Cambridge, Waltham, Somerville, Lexington, Watertown.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $124,842 |
| 25th | $134,971 |
| 50th (median) | $143,461 |
| 75th | $170,000 |
| 90th | $199,022 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $121,098 | $105,000 | $140,000 | 50 |
| FY2021 | $125,000 | $121,098 | $150,000 | 53 |
| FY2022 | $126,277 | $114,000 | $138,600 | 83 |
| FY2023 | $136,537 | $130,000 | $160,000 | 82 |
| FY2024 | $140,313 | $131,123 | $161,575 | 106 |
| FY2025 | $140,225 | $124,842 | $166,050 | 86 |
| FY2026 | $144,498 | $134,971 | $175,300 | 76 |
Cost of living
Boston's median expert Molecular and Cellular Biologist salary of $143,461 is worth about $132,500 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 $143,461, 30% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Eli Lilly and Company | $190,000 | 15 |
| Intellia Therapeutics | $147,400 | 11 |
| Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated | $134,971 | 10 |
| ModernaTX | too few | 9 |
| AbbVie | too few | 7 |
| General Hospital | too few | 6 |
| Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research | too few | 6 |
| Generate Biomedicines | too few | 4 |
| Somite Therapeutics | too few | 4 |
| The Broad Institute | too few | 4 |
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.