Staff Software Engineer Salary in Boston

💰 $192K–$280K salary range

Median: $222K  ·  Based on 51 public job postings  ·  Updated June 10, 2026

This Staff Software Engineer salary benchmark for Boston is built from public job postings at high-growth and AI-native companies — no private placement data. Figures reflect base salary and are refreshed as new postings are collected.

📊 Salary breakdown

Staff Software Engineer pay in Boston vs. national

• Boston: $222K median
• National: $255K median

Boston Staff Software Engineer pay runs 13% below the national median.

Engineering salaries in Boston by seniority

• Software Engineer: $166K
• Senior Software Engineer: $210K
• Senior Platform Engineer: $213K
• Engineering Manager: $220K
• Staff Software Engineer: $222K

What does a Staff Software Engineer in Boston do?

Staff Software Engineers are engineers who design, build, and operate the core software systems. This benchmark reflects Staff-level base compensation for Boston-based roles at high-growth and AI-native companies.

Common questions

What is the average Staff Software Engineer salary in Boston?
The median base salary is $222K, with a typical range of $192K–$280K, based on 51 public Boston job postings collected in 2025–2026.

How does Boston compare to the national Staff Software Engineer salary?
The national median is $255K; Boston is shown above.

Where does this data come from?
Public job postings on company career pages — no private placement or client data. Minimum 15 Boston postings.

Methodology

USD base salary aggregated from 51 public job postings located in Boston (2025–2026). Range = 25th–75th percentile; median = 50th percentile. At least 15 Boston postings required to publish. Last refreshed June 10, 2026.

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