Senior Software Developer (Non-R&D) salary in Boston, MA

Based on 11 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Cambridge, Quincy, Waltham.

Median salary$140,000
Middle 50%$130.8k–$149.1k
vs. all levels here+8%comparison median $129,605
Filings11FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $125,572 and $155,000.
PercentileSalary
10th$127,000
25th$130,763
50th (median)$140,000
75th$149,052
90th$155,000

Cost of living

Boston's median senior Software Developer (Non-R&D) salary of $140,000 is worth about $129,300 at national average prices.

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Boston = 108.3).

Employers filing at this level

EmployerMedianFilings
The Broad Institutetoo few4
Northeastern Universitytoo few3

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

By experience level

Wage levelMedianFilings
Entry-level · Level I too few 2
Mid-level · Level II – 0
Senior · Level III $140,000 11
Expert · Level IV – 0

Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.

Minimum H-1B salary by level

Wage levelPrevailing wage (most common)Median offered salaryFilings
Senior · Level III$121,306$140,00011

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.