Boston is the only major US metro where biotech/pharma and technology engineering H1B roles coexist at comparable volumes — creating a uniquely diversified H1B job market spanning life sciences, software, robotics, and AI research. With 38,456 annual filings and a median wage of $155,000, Boston ranks as the fourth-highest H1B wage market nationally.
Key fact: Boston is the only major US metro where biotech/pharma and technology engineering H1B roles coexist at comparable volumes — creating a uniquely diversified H1B job market that spans life sciences, software, robotics, and AI research.
| Role | Median |
|---|---|
| Software Engineer (L3) | $155,000 |
| Senior Software Engineer (L4) | $198,000 |
| Biostatistician / Clinical Data Scientist (L3) | $118,000 |
| Computational Biologist (L4) | $135,000 |
| Data Engineer (L3) | $145,000 |
| ML Research Scientist (L4) | $185,000 |
Source: DOL LCA disclosures, FY2024.
| Employer | Median Wage |
|---|---|
| Moderna (Cambridge) | $135,000 |
| Biogen (Cambridge) | $132,000 |
| Amazon (Boston) | $158,000 |
| Google (Cambridge) | $175,000 |
| MathWorks (Natick) | $128,000 |
| Wayfair (Boston) | $138,000 |