How Much Does a Senior Scientist Make in Boston, MA ? (2026 Salary Guide)

Senior Scientist Salary in Boston, MA

As of May 01, 2026, the average annual salary for Senior Scientist in Boston, MA is $139,845, equivalent to $67 per hour, $2,689 weekly, or $11,654 monthly. These figures, sourced from Salary.com’s real-time job posting scans, highlight competitive earning potential for Senior Scientist in cities like San Jose, Santa Clara, and San Francisco.

Annually Salaries for Senior Scientist in Boston, MA vary widely, spanning from $114,309 to $173,068. Most professionals fall between the 25th percentile ($126,478) and 75th percentile ($157,235), while top earners (90th percentile) make $173,068 per year. This $30,757 pay gap underscores opportunities for salary growth through certifications, specialized skills like Analysis or Data Analysis, or targeting high-paying regions like District of Columbia or California.

Location and experience significantly influence earnings. For example, Boston Senior Scientist often earn 2.1% higher than national averages. However, Boston currently ranks 56 statewide for Senior Scientist job salary. Professionals are advised to focus on high-growth sectors like to offset market challenges.

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Senior Scientist Salaries by Percentile
Percentile Salary Location Last Updated
10th Percentile Senior Scientist Salary $114,309 Boston, MA May 01, 2026
25th Percentile Senior Scientist Salary $126,478 Boston, MA May 01, 2026
50th Percentile Senior Scientist Salary $139,845 Boston, MA May 01, 2026
75th Percentile Senior Scientist Salary $157,235 Boston, MA May 01, 2026
90th Percentile Senior Scientist Salary $173,068 Boston, MA May 01, 2026
25% $126,478 10% $114,309 90% $173,068 75% $157,235 $139,845 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click
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What is a Senior Scientist ?

A scientist is someone who conducts scientific research to advance knowledge in an area of interest. In classical antiquity, there was no real ancient analog of a modern scientist. Instead, philosophers engaged in the philosophical study of nature called natural philosophy, a precursor of natural science. It was not until the 19th century that the term scientist came into regular use after it was coined by the theologian, philosopher, and historian of science William Whewell in 1833. The term 'scientist' was first coined by him for Mary Somerville, partly because the term "man of science", mo...

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

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Job Openings for Senior Scientist in Boston, MA

Career Path for this job

  1. Down a level:

    Scientist I - Biotech

    0 - 2 years experience
    JD, MD, PhD or Equivalent

  2. This Job:

    Senior Scientist

    2 - 4 years experience
    JD, MD, PhD or Equivalent

  3. Up a level:

    Scientist III - Biotech

    4 - 7 years experience
    JD, MD, PhD or Equivalent

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Understand the total compensation opportunity for a Senior Scientist, base salary plus other pay elements

Average Base Salary

Core compensation

 
 
 
126478
157235
139845

Average Total Cash Compensation

Includes base and annual incentives

 
 
 
103481
132859
116534
These charts show the average base salary (core compensation), as well as the average total cash compensation for the job of Senior Scientist in Boston, MA. The base salary for Senior Scientist ranges from $126,478 to $157,235 with the average base salary of $139,845. The total cash compensation, which includes base, and annual incentives, can vary anywhere from $103,481 to $132,859 with the average total cash compensation of $116,534.
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Data Scientist I, Data Scientist II, Data Scientist III, Data Scientist IV, Food Scientist II
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126478
157235

 

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

Senior Scientist Salary in popular cities: Worcester, Springfield, Lowell

Skills associated with Senior Scientist: Design, #develop, TEAMS

Recently searched related titles: Laboratory Scientist, Associate Scientist II, Biomanufacturing Specialist

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

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