Entry-level QA Engineer salary in Boston, MA
Based on 91 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I 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 | $83,000 |
| 25th | $84,500 |
| 50th (median) | $93,600 |
| 75th | $107,854 |
| 90th | $116,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $76,523 | $71,032 | $109,700 | 17 |
| FY2021 | $76,523 | $67,766 | $85,430 | 19 |
| FY2022 | – | – | – | 9 |
| FY2023 | $80,000 | $77,459 | $86,590 | 41 |
| FY2024 | $84,157 | $80,267 | $87,500 | 42 |
| FY2025 | $90,000 | $84,264 | $100,000 | 48 |
| FY2026 | $106,401 | $86,910 | $110,890 | 43 |
Cost of living
Boston's median entry-level QA Engineer salary of $93,600 is worth about $86,500 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 $93,600, 23% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| InterSystems | $110,000 | 14 |
| Amazon | too few | 5 |
| AIR Worldwide | too few | 5 |
| Staples | too few | 4 |
| HealthEdge Software | too few | 3 |
| Lendbuzz | too few | 3 |
| SharkNinja Operating | too few | 3 |
| State Street Bank and Trust Company | too few | 3 |
| CVS Health | too few | 2 |
| Eliteforge Group | 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 | $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.