H1B Software Engineer Salary Boston 2026

Boston is the second-largest biotech and life sciences H1B market in the US, with 14,200 FY2024 filings. The median H1B SWE wage of $168,000 is 40% above the national median, driven by HubSpot, Wayfair, Amazon, and a dense cluster of biotech firms. Massachusetts has a flat 5% state income tax.

14,200
FY2024 Filings
$168,000
Median Wage
+40%
vs National

H1B Software Engineer Salary by Level in Boston

RoleMedian
SWE L3$142,000
Senior SWE L4$182,000
Staff SWE L5$222,000
ML Engineer L4$188,000
SWE Manager$212,000

Source: DOL LCA disclosures, FY2024.

Top H1B Employers for Software Engineers in Boston

EmployerMedian Wage
Amazon Boston$178,000
Wayfair$162,000
HubSpot$172,000
Biogen$155,000
Fidelity Investments$158,000
DraftKings$168,000

Frequently Asked Questions

Boston Quick Facts

FY2024 Filings
14,200
Median Wage
$168,000
State Income Tax
5% flat
1BR Rent (median)
~$2,800/mo
Median Home Price
~$620,000
COL vs SF
-18%
Top SOC Code
15-1252