How Much Does a Programming Engineer Make in Boston, MA ? (2026 Salary Guide)

Programming Engineer Salary in Boston, MA

As of April 01, 2026, the average annual salary for Programming Engineer in Boston, MA is $158,499, equivalent to $76 per hour, $3,048 weekly, or $13,208 monthly. These figures, sourced from Salary.com’s real-time job posting scans, highlight competitive earning potential for Programming Engineer in cities like Santa Clara, San Jose, and Fremont.

Annually Salaries for Programming Engineer in Boston, MA vary widely, spanning from $134,258 to $184,185. Most professionals fall between the 25th percentile ($145,810) and 75th percentile ($171,944), while top earners (90th percentile) make $184,185 per year. This $26,134 pay gap underscores opportunities for salary growth through certifications, specialized skills like Analysis or Software Development, or targeting high-paying regions like District of Columbia or California.

Location and experience significantly influence earnings. For example, Boston Programming Engineer often earn 2.5% higher than national averages. However, Boston currently ranks 62 statewide for Programming Engineer job salary. Professionals are advised to focus on high-growth sectors like to offset market challenges.

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Programming Engineer Salaries by Percentile
Percentile Salary Location Last Updated
10th Percentile Programming Engineer Salary $134,258 Boston, MA April 01, 2026
25th Percentile Programming Engineer Salary $145,810 Boston, MA April 01, 2026
50th Percentile Programming Engineer Salary $158,499 Boston, MA April 01, 2026
75th Percentile Programming Engineer Salary $171,944 Boston, MA April 01, 2026
90th Percentile Programming Engineer Salary $184,185 Boston, MA April 01, 2026
25% $145,810 10% $134,258 90% $184,185 75% $171,944 $158,499 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click
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What is a Programming Engineer ?

Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who invent, design, analyze, build, and test machines, systems, structures and materials to fulfill objectives and requirements while considering the limitations imposed by practicality, regulation, safety, and cost. The word engineer (Latin ingeniator) is derived from the Latin words ingeniare ("to create, generate, contrive, devise") and ingenium ("cleverness"). The foundational qualifications of an engineer typically include a four-year bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline, or in some jurisdictions, a master's degree in...

Source: Wikipedia (as of 04/18/2019). Read more from Wikipedia

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Job Openings for Programming Engineer in Boston, MA

Career Path for this job

  1. Down a level:

    Software Engineer II

    2 - 4 years experience
    Bachelor's Degree

  2. This Job:

    Programming Engineer

    4 - 7 years experience
    Bachelor's Degree

  3. Up a level:

    Software Engineer IV

    7 + years experience
    Bachelor's Degree

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Understand the total compensation opportunity for a Programming Engineer, base salary plus other pay elements

Average Base Salary

Core compensation

 
 
 
145810
171944
158499

Average Total Cash Compensation

Includes base and annual incentives

 
 
 
159155
195243
176321
These charts show the average base salary (core compensation), as well as the average total cash compensation for the job of Programming Engineer in Boston, MA. The base salary for Programming Engineer ranges from $145,810 to $171,944 with the average base salary of $158,499. The total cash compensation, which includes base, and annual incentives, can vary anywhere from $159,155 to $195,243 with the average total cash compensation of $176,321.

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145810
171944

 

About Boston, Massachusetts    Boston has an area of 89.63 square miles (232.1 km2)—48.4 square miles (125.4 km2) (54%) of land and 41.2 square miles (106.7 km2) (46%) of water. The....More

Boston, Massachusetts  area prices were up 2.5% from a year ago

Programming Engineer Salary in popular cities: Worcester, Springfield, Lowell

Skills associated with Programming Engineer: Design, Machining

Recently searched related titles: Application Software Engineer, Controls Software Engineer, Delivery Software Engineer

Learn more about: Compensation Packages, Employee Flight Risk, Gender Pay Gap, Job Openings for This Role

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