Research Scientist (Computer Science) salary in Boston, MA
Based on 300 certified H-1B filings in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Cambridge, North Reading, Burlington, Wellesley, Quincy.
Also listed as: Machine Learning Engineer, AI Researcher
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $134,500 |
| 25th | $157,581 |
| 50th (median) | $180,000 |
| 75th | $207,000 |
| 90th | $238,408 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $138,050 | $117,478 | $151,700 | 189 |
| FY2021 | $139,940 | $115,000 | $160,000 | 152 |
| FY2022 | $143,250 | $120,000 | $166,800 | 190 |
| FY2023 | $144,893 | $120,328 | $170,000 | 147 |
| FY2024 | $167,100 | $153,600 | $185,825 | 141 |
| FY2025 | $170,000 | $155,000 | $200,000 | 125 |
| FY2026 | $180,800 | $166,000 | $212,659 | 175 |
Cost of living
Boston's median Research Scientist (Computer Science) salary of $180,000 is worth about $166,300 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Boston = 108.3).
Compared with all workers here
All Computer and Information Research Scientists in the Boston, MA area earned a median of $170,510 in May 2025 (1,620 employed). The H-1B median here is $180,000, 6% higher.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | $179,000 | 99 |
| NVIDIA | $212,659 | 19 |
| $248,000 | 15 | |
| IBM | $240,000 | 11 |
| Meta | $207,564 | 10 |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | $116,650 | 10 |
| Microsoft | too few | 8 |
| Capital One | too few | 5 |
| Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories | too few | 5 |
| UII America | 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 | $137,500 | 34 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $174,800 | 147 |
| Senior · Level III | $195,000 | 67 |
| Expert · Level IV | $224,000 | 33 |
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 | $108,722 | $137,500 | 34 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $143,374 | $174,800 | 147 |
| Senior · Level III | $178,006 | $195,000 | 67 |
| Expert · Level IV | $212,659 | $224,000 | 33 |
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.