Expert Research Scientist (Computer Science) salary in Boston, MA

Based on 33 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV 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

Median salary$224,000
Middle 50%$212.7k–$265k
vs. all levels here+24%comparison median $180,000
Filings33FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $212,659 and $369,040.
PercentileSalary
10th$212,659
25th$212,659
50th (median)$224,000
75th$264,992
90th$306,000

Salary by year

Median salary

$120k $195k $270k FY2020: median $140,000 (15 filings) FY2021: median $144,500 (14 filings) FY2022: median $163,093 (19 filings) FY2023: median $180,000 (11 filings) FY2024: median $175,136 (24 filings) FY2025: median $249,995 (10 filings) FY2026: median $215,000 (23 filings) FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26

Filings per year

FY2020: 15 filings FY20 FY2021: 14 filings FY21 FY2022: 19 filings FY22 FY2023: 11 filings FY23 FY2024: 24 filings FY24 FY2025: 10 filings FY25 FY2026: 23 filings FY26 24
Shaded: FY2025–FY2026, the years behind the figures above. Median shown for years with at least 10 filings. FY2026 covers Q1–Q3 only.
Show as table
Fiscal yearMedianP25P75Filings
FY2020$140,000$138,050$154,86015
FY2021$144,500$138,590$157,83014
FY2022$163,093$142,990$206,75019
FY2023$180,000$165,826$187,12211
FY2024$175,136$169,786$200,00024
FY2025$249,995$233,750$287,49910
FY2026$215,000$212,659$257,49623

Cost of living

Boston's median expert Research Scientist (Computer Science) salary of $224,000 is worth about $206,900 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 $224,000, 31% 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

EmployerMedianFilings
NVIDIA$236,99810
Googletoo few3
Amazontoo few2
Oracletoo few2
Aiscientiststoo few2

Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.

By experience level

Wage levelMedianFilings
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 levelPrevailing wage (most common)Median offered salaryFilings
Entry-level · Level I$108,722$137,50034
Mid-level · Level II$143,374$174,800147
Senior · Level III$178,006$195,00067
Expert · Level IV$212,659$224,00033

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.