Software Developers in Massachusetts. BLS OES + DOL OFLC + reader-reported submissions. How this is built →
What the numbers say
The median Software Developer in Massachusetts earned $150,520 in 2024, about 8.7% above the national median of $138,520. The mean came in a bit higher at $153,650, which tells us a smaller group of senior developers pulls the average up.
The range across the field is wide. The bottom 10% earned around $99,360. The top 10% reached $208,220. That is a gap of roughly $109,000 between early-career and peak earners, which is typical for a role where seniority, specialty, and the type of employer matter quite a lot.
Massachusetts has a cost-of-living index of 109.6, meaning everyday costs run about 10% above the national baseline. Adjusted for that, the effective purchasing power of the state median lands closer to $137,300 in national-baseline dollars. That nearly closes the headline gap with the US median. The nominal premium is real, but what the money actually buys is close to the national figure once local prices are factored in.
BLS projects software developer employment to grow 15.8% between 2024 and 2034, a much faster rate than most occupations. Massachusetts sits in a market where that growth is concentrated in biotech, finance, and defense contracting alongside the more visible consumer tech sector, though the wage data here captures all of those together rather than any one slice.
Salary distribution
Where Massachusetts software developers fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $131,370 and $190,280, with a median of $165,210.
Software Developers in Massachusetts: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 2,000 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $154,606. Every figure below is an actual offered salary an employer attested to under federal law.
By DOL wage level
DOL classifies every offer into one of four wage levels based on the role's experience and skill requirements.
| Level | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|
| Level I — entry | 204 | $110,574 |
| Level II — qualified | 665 | $135,935 |
| Level III — experienced | 480 | $159,000 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 382 | $180,000 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Software Developers in Massachusetts. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| The MathWorks, Inc. | Senior Software Engineer | 121 | $154,606 |
| Amazon.com Services LLC | Software Development Engineer II | 102 | $154,803 |
| Wayfair LLC | Software Engineer I | 72 | $155,000 |
| State Street Bank and Trust Company | Software Engineering & Development [00095056] | 65 | $137,688 |
| Amazon Development Center U.S., Inc. | Software Development Engineer II | 40 | $148,870 |
| Microsoft Corporation | Software Engineering | 36 | $167,900 |
| Fidelity Technology Group, LLC d/b/a Fidelity Investments | Principal Full Stack Engineer | 33 | $137,688 |
| Google LLC | Software Engineer | 31 | $175,000 |
| Akamai Technologies, Inc. | Senior Software Engineer | 29 | $168,335 |
| Klaviyo, Inc. | Senior Software Engineer | 25 | $154,606 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Software Development Engineer II at Amazon Development Center U.S., Inc.$143,700BostonDecided —I-200-26084-728090
- Software Engineer at Suno, Inc.$205,000CambridgeWage Level IIDecided —I-200-26084-728921
- Software Developer at Thrive Software Technologies LLC$131,082BostonWage Level IIDecided —I-200-26084-730541
- Director, Data Engineering at Fidelity Technology Group, LLC d/b/a Fidelity Investments$155,593BostonDecided —I-200-26084-729078
- Staff Software Engineering at Insulet Corporation$180,000ActonWage Level IVDecided —I-200-26084-728302
- Data Engineer at Global Alliant Inc$131,802CambridgeWage Level IIDecided —I-200-26084-728913
- Sr. Embedded Software Engineer at Precision Systems, Inc.$131,082NatickWage Level IIDecided —I-200-26084-728831
- Software Engineer at Meta Platforms, Inc$230,000CambridgeWage Level IVDecided —I-200-26084-727548
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification. Disclosed wages reflect what employers attested to pay; actual paid wages may differ. Only certified filings are shown — denied and withdrawn cases are excluded.
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Software Developers pay by experience level in Massachusetts
Each band reflects DOL Wage Levels I-IV mapped onto a four-step ladder. Click a level to see the disclosed-wage range for that segment.
Software Developers specialties in Massachusetts
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 1,232 certified offers. The most common variant is Senior Software Engineer at a median of $154,606.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senior Software Engineer | The MathWorks, Inc. | 684 | $154,606 |
| Software Developer | COMPUNNEL SOFTWARE GROUP, INC | 130 | $131,082 |
| Software Development Engineer | Amazon.com Services LLC | 124 | $149,240 |
| Software Dev Engineer | Amazon.com Services LLC | 48 | $159,150 |
| Staff Engineer | The TJX Companies, Inc. | 45 | $159,984 |
| Manager | Deloitte Consulting LLP | 42 | $178,131 |
| Software Engineering & Development [00095056] | State Street Bank and Trust Company | 39 | $137,688 |
| Software Engineering | Microsoft Corporation | 37 | $169,800 |
| Data Engineer | Boston Scientific Corporation | 23 | $136,218 |
| Software Developers - KBGFJG71874-10 | Ernst & Young U.S. LLP | 21 | $193,136 |
| Director | Fidelity Technology Group, LLC d/b/a Fidelity Investments | 20 | $167,493 |
| Principal Full Stack Engineer | Fidelity Technology Group, LLC d/b/a Fidelity Investments | 19 | $134,868 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Software Developers in Massachusetts, by industry
Median offered wage across 1,997 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Technology and software leads with a median of $154,606.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technology and software | The MathWorks, Inc. | 992 | $154,606 |
| Retail and wholesale | Amazon.com Services LLC | 293 | $155,355 |
| Finance and insurance | State Street Bank and Trust Company | 270 | $150,063 |
| Manufacturing | Apple Inc. | 193 | $154,606 |
| Professional services | Deloitte Consulting LLP | 183 | $154,606 |
| Healthcare | Foundation Medicine, Inc. | 17 | $144,000 |
| Media and entertainment | DK Crown Holdings Inc. | 15 | $135,699 |
| Education | Boston College | 14 | $132,780 |
| Transportation and logistics | Agero Administrative Service Corp. | 8 | $137,492 |
| Energy and utilities | NATIONAL GRID USA SERVICE COMPANY, INC. | 7 | $178,131 |
| Real estate | C&W Facility Services, Inc. | 2 | $127,974 |
| Government and public sector | Metropolitan Area Planning Council | 2 | $91,080 |
| Nonprofit and civic | Massachusetts Medical Society | 1 | $132,656 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in Massachusetts over the past 3 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2025 dollars.
Typical entry
Education
Bachelor's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Top skills (O*NET)
Common tasks (O*NET)
10-year outlook
Growth 2024 → 2034
+15.8%
Projected annual openings
—
BLS outlook
Growing much faster than average
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034 cycle.
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Metro-level salary data for software developers in major Massachusetts metropolitan areas.
- Boston$166,090
Compare Software Developers pay across nearby states
Considering a move? Compare Massachusetts with another state
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Software Developers in Massachusetts?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Software Developers in Massachusetts is $165,210.
- How does Massachusetts compare to the national median for Software Developers?
- The Massachusetts median is +15.6% versus the BLS national figure of $142,947.
- What is the salary range for Software Developers in Massachusetts?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $102,810 and the 90th-percentile at $213,970, which captures most full-time workers in the role.
- Is Software Developers a growing field?
- BLS Employment Projections show employment growing by 15.8% over the projection cycle. See the 10-year outlook section above for details.
- What education is required for Software Developers?
- BLS lists the typical entry-level education as Bachelor's degree. Many employers also weigh prior experience and credentials.
Information on this page is for general educational purposes only. It is not career, financial, or tax advice. Wage data reflects BLS estimates for the reference year shown and may not match individual offers, employer-specific ranges, or current market conditions. Confirm with a licensed professional before making career or compensation decisions.