Cambridge, MA H-1B salaries — 23,119 certified filings (FY2016–FY2026)
- 2,045
- Filings · FY2025
- $125k
- Median base · FY2025
- $94k–$160k
- Middle 50% · FY2025
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Top sponsor · 1,135 all-time
Employers in Cambridge, MA have 23,119 certified H-1B LCAs on record since FY2016. In FY2025 the median base salary was $125k across 2,045 filings, with the middle 50% between $94k and $160k. The biggest sponsors are Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Akamai Technologies, Google; the most-sponsored titles are Software Engineer, Research Scientist, Postdoctoral Associate.
How much do H-1B workers in Cambridge, MA make?
Certified base salary by fiscal year: each box is the p25–p75 range, the heavy line the median, the whiskers reach p10–p90. $125k median in FY2025. Base pay only — hover a year for its figures.
How has H-1B hiring in Cambridge, MA changed?
1,582 certified filings in FY2016 → 1,460 in FY2026. The change column is each year against the one before.
| Fiscal year | Filings | vs prior FY | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026 | 1,460 | −29% | $132k |
| FY2025 | 2,045 | +1% | $125k |
| FY2024 | 2,033 | +1% | $123k |
| FY2023 | 2,016 | −22% | $120k |
| FY2022 | 2,570 | +11% | $118k |
| FY2021 | 2,313 | −4% | $113k |
| FY2020 | 2,413 | −5% | $108k |
| FY2019 | 2,544 | +14% | $96k |
| FY2018 | 2,231 | +17% | $95k |
| FY2017 | 1,912 | +21% | $92k |
| FY2016 | 1,582 | — | $85k |
Which companies sponsor H-1B workers in Cambridge, MA?
The employers with the most certified filings, all years, with their median base salary. Open any employer for its full profile.
| # | Employer | Filings | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 1,135 | $72k |
| 2 | Akamai Technologies | 1,117 | $120k |
| 3 | 977 | $150k | |
| 4 | Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research | 724 | $91k |
| 5 | Biogen | 720 | $110k |
| 6 | Harvard University | 710 | $72k |
| 7 | Amazon.com Services | 622 | $145k |
| 8 | The Broad Institute | 596 | $85k |
| 9 | Microsoft | 557 | $138k |
| 10 | Takeda Development Center Americas | 408 | $150k |
What H-1B jobs get sponsored in Cambridge, MA?
The most-filed job titles on certified LCAs in this city, all years (DOL titles, pay-grade codes stripped).
| # | Job title | Filings | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Software Engineer | 1,325 | $135k |
| 2 | Research Scientist | 711 | $85k |
| 3 | Postdoctoral Associate | 582 | $63k |
| 4 | Research Associate | 339 | $66k |
| 5 | Senior Software Engineer | 322 | $130k |
| 6 | Postdoctoral Fellow | 253 | $62k |
| 7 | Software Development Engineer II | 240 | $147k |
| 8 | Senior Research Associate | 222 | $84k |
| 9 | Scientist | 197 | $108k |
| 10 | Software Developer | 196 | $96k |
Common questions about H-1B jobs in Cambridge, MA
- What is the median H-1B salary in Cambridge, MA?
- The median certified H-1B base salary in Cambridge, MA is $125k (FY2025), from 2,045 filings. Across all years the middle 50% earn between $82k and $139k.
- Which companies sponsor the most H-1B workers in Cambridge, MA?
- The top H-1B sponsors in Cambridge, MA are Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Akamai Technologies, Google.
- What are the most common H-1B jobs in Cambridge, MA?
- The most-sponsored H-1B roles in Cambridge, MA are Software Engineer, Research Scientist, Postdoctoral Associate.
- Does a certified LCA mean an H-1B visa was approved?
- No. A Labor Condition Application (LCA) is the Department of Labor attestation an employer must have certified before filing an H-1B petition with USCIS. It records the job, worksite and offered wage, but not whether the petition was filed, selected in the lottery, or approved. Filing counts measure intent to sponsor, not headcount.
- What salary do these figures show?
- The base annual wage offered on the certified LCA, converted to a yearly amount. Bonus, equity, overtime and benefits are not included, so total compensation is typically higher. Figures are medians and percentiles over certified filings; wages above $5,000,000 a year are excluded as data-entry errors.
- What does the fiscal year mean here?
- Years are U.S. government fiscal years, October to September: FY2025 runs from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025. This matches how the Department of Labor publishes the disclosure files. The most recent year may be partial until its final quarter is released.
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Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification — certified LCA disclosure data through June 2026 (FY2016–FY2026). An LCA is not an approved visa; pay figures are base salary and exclude bonus and equity. Methodology →