Robotics Engineer.
Boston.
$145,000
median salary, 23% above the national average
$100,000 to $195,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
The median Robotics Engineer salary in Boston is $145,000, 23% above the national average. Entry level starts near $100,000. Experienced professionals push past $195,000. Boston's job market is powered by world class universities, a thriving biotech corridor, and established finance and healthcare sectors. That spread is your negotiation window. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page.
Salary range.
Where do you fall?
Orbyt estimate for Robotics Engineer in Boston, modelled from national occupation wages adjusted for local cost of living. The published government benchmark for this occupation is below.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $133,940 for Engineers, All Other (SOC 17-2199) in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metropolitan area, based on 2,490 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$86,120
25th percentile
$104,850
Median
$133,940
75th percentile
$164,110
90th percentile
$194,310
Workers surveyed
2,490
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Engineers, All Other (SOC 17-2199) rather than Robotics Engineer specifically. The Boston range at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such.
View the BLS source for SOC 17-2199Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $131,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$94,000
to $116,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$123,000
to $152,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$160,000
to $189,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$181,000
to $225,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $34,000 to the total package.
Base
$145,000
Equity
$19,000
Bonus
$12,000
Signing
$3,000
Estimated total: $179,000
Robotics Engineer salary by company.
Total compensation estimates include base, equity, bonus, and signing. Ranges reflect mid to senior level. Derived from public H-1B LCA filings (DOL).
How Boston compares.
Boston, MA
$145,000
Cost of living: 22% above average
National Average
$118,000
Boston is $27,000 above
Robotics Engineer salary by city.
Salary by role in Boston.
What you should know.
Before you negotiate a Robotics Engineer offer in Boston, understand the terrain. Boston's job market is powered by world class universities, a thriving biotech corridor, and established finance and healthcare sectors. The Kendall Square area is one of the most concentrated biotech hubs globally. Tech salaries in Boston are competitive with West Coast markets, particularly for roles that intersect with life sciences, AI, and robotics. Salary is driven by expertise in perception, motion planning, and control systems. Engineers with production robotics experience in logistics, manufacturing, or surgical robotics command premiums. Proficiency with ROS2, embedded C++, and sensor fusion significantly widens compensation bands.
Junior robotics engineers start at $100,000 to $125,000. Mid-level engineers with deployed systems reach $140,000 to $170,000 after three to four years. Senior robotics engineers earn $175,000 to $220,000, while principal engineers at top firms exceed $250,000 in total compensation. In Boston, those numbers run higher. The cost of living here is 22% above average, and employers adjust to compete.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity at robotics startups can add $30,000 to $100,000 in annual value. Bonuses of 10% to 15% are standard. Hardware prototyping budgets and conference travel are common perks at research-oriented companies. And on the tax side: massachusetts has a flat 5% income tax on most earnings, plus a 4% surtax on income above $1 million. There is no city income tax in Boston, keeping the total burden moderate. When someone quotes you $145,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Emphasize specialized credentials or advanced degrees. Boston employers, especially in biotech and finance, place a premium on educational pedigree and certifications. The range for Robotics Engineers in Boston runs from $100,000 to $195,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: BLS OES, H-1B LCA (DOL). COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified July 1, 2026. Full methodology
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- A Chemical Engineer in Boston earns $146,000 (1% more)
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Common questions.
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Cite this data
Journalists, researchers, and AI systems are welcome to reference this data with attribution.
"Robotics Engineer Salary in Boston, MA." Orbyt Salary Explorer, August 2026. https://www.orbytlabs.ai/orbyt-jobs/salaries/robotics-engineer/boston
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