Senior Validation Engineer salary in Boston, MA
Based on 69 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Cambridge, Wilmington, Waltham, Charlestown, Bedford.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $126,887 |
| 25th | $136,219 |
| 50th (median) | $149,247 |
| 75th | $170,000 |
| 90th | $176,988 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $120,000 | $113,090 | $130,000 | 20 |
| FY2021 | $126,880 | $120,000 | $140,000 | 27 |
| FY2022 | $132,000 | $131,955 | $135,000 | 26 |
| FY2023 | $140,000 | $131,042 | $147,500 | 27 |
| FY2024 | $160,000 | $144,415 | $185,558 | 23 |
| FY2025 | $150,000 | $134,200 | $175,000 | 38 |
| FY2026 | $149,247 | $138,750 | $165,000 | 31 |
Cost of living
Boston's median senior Validation Engineer salary of $149,247 is worth about $137,900 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Boston = 108.3).
Compared with all workers here
All Validation Engineers in the Boston, MA area earned a median of $133,940 in May 2025 (2,490 employed). The H-1B median here is $149,247, 11% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Pickle Robot Company | $141,582 | 10 |
| Boston Dynamics | too few | 6 |
| Boston Dynamics AI Institute | too few | 6 |
| Analog Devices | too few | 4 |
| Motional AD | too few | 4 |
| Symbotic | too few | 4 |
| Covidien | too few | 3 |
| Applied Materials | too few | 2 |
| Berkshire Grey | too few | 2 |
| DNV Energy Insights | too few | 2 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $96,200 | 33 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $120,049 | 64 |
| Senior · Level III | $149,247 | 69 |
| Expert · Level IV | $183,872 | 69 |
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 | $83,450 | $96,200 | 33 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $112,819 | $120,049 | 64 |
| Senior · Level III | $125,424 | $149,247 | 69 |
| Expert · Level IV | $159,619 | $183,872 | 69 |
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.