Entry-level Software Engineer salary in Boston, MA
Based on 808 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Cambridge, Waltham, Burlington, Quincy, Natick.
Also listed as: Software Developer, Software Development Engineer, SDE
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $98,072 |
| 25th | $107,557 |
| 50th (median) | $112,040 |
| 75th | $129,000 |
| 90th | $135,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $82,400 | $75,000 | $92,900 | 510 |
| FY2021 | $88,413 | $77,000 | $110,800 | 460 |
| FY2022 | $90,000 | $79,955 | $107,350 | 463 |
| FY2023 | $92,706 | $87,173 | $110,000 | 429 |
| FY2024 | $98,501 | $90,646 | $110,500 | 406 |
| FY2025 | $109,000 | $98,072 | $121,420 | 440 |
| FY2026 | $120,000 | $107,900 | $129,000 | 368 |
Cost of living
Boston's median entry-level Software Engineer salary of $112,040 is worth about $103,500 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Boston = 108.3).
Compared with all workers here
All Software Developers in the Boston, MA area earned a median of $166,090 in May 2025 (42,310 employed). The H-1B median here is $112,040, 33% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | $129,000 | 144 |
| HubSpot | $127,641 | 28 |
| InterSystems | $114,124 | 26 |
| State Street Bank and Trust Company | $98,072 | 16 |
| Staples | $117,944 | 15 |
| Red Hat | $152,995 | 13 |
| Audible | $137,250 | 12 |
| Wayfair | $120,000 | 11 |
| HealthEdge Software | $116,133 | 10 |
| CVS Health | too few | 9 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $112,040 | 808 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $133,133 | 2,110 |
| Senior · Level III | $159,000 | 1,136 |
| Expert · Level IV | $182,000 | 1,011 |
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 | $107,557 | $112,040 | 808 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $122,970 | $133,133 | 2,110 |
| Senior · Level III | $154,606 | $159,000 | 1,136 |
| Expert · Level IV | $178,131 | $182,000 | 1,011 |
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.