Expert Software Engineer salary in Boston, MA
Based on 1,011 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV 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 | $172,744 |
| 25th | $178,131 |
| 50th (median) | $182,000 |
| 75th | $201,000 |
| 90th | $221,003 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $137,821 | $129,321 | $150,000 | 868 |
| FY2021 | $143,248 | $135,658 | $160,038 | 689 |
| FY2022 | $151,656 | $140,000 | $170,795 | 1,017 |
| FY2023 | $160,000 | $150,197 | $177,070 | 603 |
| FY2024 | $172,565 | $157,643 | $186,300 | 514 |
| FY2025 | $181,000 | $172,744 | $199,983 | 547 |
| FY2026 | $184,000 | $178,131 | $202,674 | 464 |
Cost of living
Boston's median expert Software Engineer salary of $182,000 is worth about $168,100 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 $182,000, 10% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Wayfair | $187,754 | 44 |
| Akamai Technologies | $192,302 | 27 |
| Meta | $213,133 | 26 |
| State Street Bank and Trust Company | $172,744 | 25 |
| Symbotic | $178,131 | 23 |
| IBM | $194,235 | 22 |
| The MathWorks | $178,131 | 21 |
| Liberty Mutual Technology Group | $172,744 | 18 |
| Apple | $178,131 | 17 |
| athenahealth | $191,540 | 16 |
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.