QA Engineer salary in Boston, MA
Based on 835 certified H-1B filings in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Natick, Waltham, Quincy, Burlington, Framingham.
Also listed as: Software Tester, Test Automation Engineer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $99,299 |
| 25th | $102,565 |
| 50th (median) | $119,912 |
| 75th | $137,773 |
| 90th | $150,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $92,498 | $76,891 | $110,240 | 288 |
| FY2021 | $93,080 | $76,733 | $108,597 | 259 |
| FY2022 | $99,944 | $80,888 | $118,161 | 258 |
| FY2023 | $103,000 | $93,766 | $126,200 | 357 |
| FY2024 | $107,356 | $96,845 | $126,058 | 388 |
| FY2025 | $117,832 | $102,565 | $139,402 | 421 |
| FY2026 | $119,912 | $100,911 | $135,369 | 414 |
Cost of living
Boston's median QA Engineer salary of $119,912 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 Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers in the Boston, MA area earned a median of $122,210 in May 2025 (6,050 employed). The H-1B median here is $119,912, 2% lower.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| The MathWorks | $119,912 | 76 |
| State Street Bank and Trust Company | $122,149 | 41 |
| Cognizant | $119,912 | 40 |
| InterSystems | $110,000 | 21 |
| Wipro | $102,565 | 19 |
| Amazon | $139,100 | 18 |
| Staples | $136,134 | 16 |
| Emc | $138,624 | 14 |
| Tata Consultancy Services | $102,565 | 14 |
| AIR Worldwide | $100,972 | 12 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $93,600 | 91 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $102,565 | 351 |
| Senior · Level III | $121,000 | 194 |
| Expert · Level IV | $145,000 | 152 |
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 | $78,686 | $93,600 | 91 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $99,299 | $102,565 | 351 |
| Senior · Level III | $119,912 | $121,000 | 194 |
| Expert · Level IV | $140,525 | $145,000 | 152 |
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.