City guides / Boston
Boston
Universities, hospitals and biotech: many cap-exempt employers and research jobs.
Guide Wages: DOL wage year 2026-27 H-1B filings: DOL disclosure data
What the jobs pay
Prevailing wages for the Boston–Cambridge–Newton metro area. Your employer must pay at least the wage for your job's level. Explore every job and level →
H-1B salaries here by job: Software Developers · Computer Occupations, All Other · Data Scientists · Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers · Computer Programmers · Computer and Information Systems Managers · Computer Systems Analysts · Industrial Engineers · Mechanical Engineers · Financial and Investment Analysts · Accountants and Auditors · Electronics Engineers, Except Computer
| Job | Level I | Level II | Level III | Level IV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $114,275 | $138,237 | $162,198 | $186,160 |
| Data Scientists | $88,920 | $112,861 | $136,781 | $160,722 |
| Computer Systems Analysts | $91,042 | $111,280 | $131,539 | $151,778 |
| Electrical Engineers | $87,818 | $109,616 | $131,435 | $153,234 |
| Management Analysts | $92,518 | $120,910 | $149,323 | $177,715 |
| Accountants and Auditors | $74,006 | $91,250 | $108,493 | $125,736 |
| Registered Nurses | $84,947 | $103,293 | $121,638 | $139,984 |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary (universities) | $80,960 | $117,443 | $153,927 | $190,410 |
Who sponsors here
15,530 certified H-1B applications (LCAs) from 3,720 employers for jobs in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH area. Certified H-1B LCAs decided July 2025 to June 2026. Typical offered pay: $99,500 to $159,500 (middle half), median $129,500.
| Employer | H-1B filings here | Median pay | Green card filings (all US) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon.com Services LLC | 404 | $154,500 | 57 |
| The MathWorks, Inc. | 327 | $131,000 | 170 |
| State Street Bank and Trust Company | 269 | $137,500 | 109 |
| General Hospital Corporation | 240 | $75,500 | 2 |
| Ernst & Young U.S. LLP | 234 | $134,500 | 842 |
| Dana-Farber Cancer Institute | 195 | $77,500 | 1 |
| Wayfair LLC | 173 | $160,000 | 110 |
| Harvard University | 171 | $77,500 | 29 |
| Cognizant Technology Solutions Us CorpPERM green card filings suspended | 156 | $115,500 | — |
| Brigham and Women's Hospital | 156 | $80,000 | 1 |
| Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated | 154 | $132,000 | 30 |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 154 | $80,000 | 23 |
| Children's Hospital Corporation | 152 | $78,000 | — |
| Staples, Inc. | 122 | $138,000 | 46 |
| Trustees Of Boston University | 121 | $90,000 | 22 |
Most common jobs
Where the jobs are
- Boston 4763
- Cambridge 1461
- Waltham 579
- Natick 367
- Quincy 329
- Burlington 300
- Framingham 234
- Marlborough 225
- North Reading 197
- Somerville 192
One LCA can cover more than one worker, and a filing is not an approved petition. Green card filings are certified PERM applications for the employer nationwide. Search sponsors by job →
Taxes
Massachusetts taxes income at a flat 5%, with an extra 4% on income above about $1 million. Mass.gov: personal income tax
The good
- Many cap-exempt employers (universities and affiliated hospitals) that are not subject to the lottery
- Strong biotech, health care and research job market
- Good public schools in many suburbs
The hard
- Housing is expensive and older
- Winters are long and snowy
- Research salaries can trail industry pay
Community
Shrewsbury, Burlington, Waltham, Quincy and Malden have sizeable Indian and Chinese communities.
Home away from home
Places of worship, Indian and Asian groceries, restaurants and community groups in and around the city, from OpenStreetMap. Tap a pin or a name for the address.
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, updated weekly. Listings depend on what volunteers have mapped, so some places are missing; anyone can add them.
Cost of living
For a realistic budget by family size, see the MIT Living Wage Calculator for this metro area. Compare it with the wage table above to see how far a Level I or II salary goes.
Sources: DOL OFLC wage library, DOL LCA and PERM disclosure data, Mass.gov: personal income tax, MIT Living Wage Calculator. Last verified 2026-09-26.