Expert QA Engineer salary in Boston, MA
Based on 152 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV 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 | $139,402 |
| 25th | $140,525 |
| 50th (median) | $145,000 |
| 75th | $159,511 |
| 90th | $176,669 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $116,066 | $111,238 | $121,506 | 34 |
| FY2021 | $113,911 | $108,597 | $120,971 | 34 |
| FY2022 | $126,402 | $110,000 | $138,461 | 59 |
| FY2023 | $130,021 | $126,402 | $149,760 | 65 |
| FY2024 | $133,681 | $130,021 | $145,094 | 61 |
| FY2025 | $145,000 | $139,402 | $157,800 | 79 |
| FY2026 | $145,000 | $140,525 | $160,425 | 73 |
Cost of living
Boston's median expert QA Engineer salary of $145,000 is worth about $133,900 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 $145,000, 19% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| State Street Bank and Trust Company | $140,525 | 19 |
| NTT DATA | too few | 7 |
| The MathWorks | too few | 7 |
| Emc | too few | 6 |
| Staples | too few | 6 |
| Curriculum Associates | too few | 5 |
| Cognizant | too few | 4 |
| IBM | too few | 4 |
| Symbotic | too few | 4 |
| Constant Contact | too few | 3 |
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.