Top Massachusetts Software Development Companies

What Makes Software Development Companies in Massachusetts Unique?

Presiding over the home region of the likes of Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Boston, the capital of Massachusetts (MA), was bound to soak in and benefit from the ingenuity of its neighboring academic centers.

MA’s economy is one of the healthiest in the country. Economic growth has been stable since the exiting recession in 2010 and the unemployment rates have been contained to approximately 3% – all indicators of an organized and stable ecosystem that attracts and retains a highly qualified workforce, as well as benefits the local and client business alike.

Information Technology, Finance, Biotechnology and Engineering are some of the leading industries that drive the state’s economy.

In fact, Professional, Scientific and Technical Services combined with Information, are the leading industries in terms of employment, claiming almost 15% of the region’s workforce together.

The industries have also marked the biggest job growth between 2010 and 2016. The growing IT workforce enriches software development companies in Boston, MA with the type of talent rarely found elsewhere.

It is this talent that would be developing your IT solutions should you choose to outsource your project to one of the above-listed companies.

More and more businesses are seeking to invest in software development companies in Massachusetts.

The trend is clearly reflected in recent industry reports that show IT services and custom software services as the leading software development offerings in Boston’s tech industry with 3.9% year-on-year (YoY) regional growth, closely followed by engineering, R&D and testing services with 5% YoY growth.

It, therefore, comes as no surprise that KPMG named Boston as one of the likeliest cities to become the world’s next tech and innovation hub after Silicon Valley.

Boston’s IT industry is thriving across the board, from sophisticated software products and software development companies to hardware and robotics.

What Do Software Development Companies In Massachusetts Do?

Most of the software development companies in Massachusetts offer standard services that help brands meet their unique needs.

This may include:

• Websites and mobile apps
• Project management software
• Customer relationship management software
• Enterprise resource planning
• Cybersecurity software
• Big data
• Artificial intelligence
• IoT
• And more

So, you can outsource just about any type of project to the companies based in this area

Finding and partnering with a software company in Massachusetts should be a fairly quick and effortless process. These companies tend to develop deep expertise in their fields, facilitating both search and development of projects of all types and sizes.

Boston Software Industry In Numbers: How Many IT Professionals Work In The City

According to Cyberstates, the impact of the Boston software industry on the overall local economy is nearly 20%.

Coupled with stable year-on-year growth and predictions for the shiny IT future, this means a thriving job market in Boston’s tech industry and an increasing pool of highly qualified workforce for software development companies in Boston, MA.

Here is how many IT professionals are currently employed in Boston:

• 3,290 Computer Network Support Specialists
• 13,590 Computer Systems Analysts
• 17,250 Computer User Support Specialists
• 3,050 Information Security Analysts
• 5,590 Computer Network Architects
• 8,000 Network and Computer Systems Administrators
• 2,610 Database Administrators
• 3,650 Web Developers
• 24,870 Software Developers, Systems Software
• 29,270 Software Developers, Applications
• 610 Computer and Information Research Scientist

Boston Tech Schools: What Powers The Local Talent Pool?

It is impossible to talk about education in Boston without mentioning Harvard and MIT. The two institutions have shaped the local workforce and businesses in more ways than one.

Software development companies in Boston, MA may not necessarily recruit the majority of their IT professionals directly from these prestigious institutions, but they do recruit from an environment whose standards and approach to development are dictated by them.

This is why in software development companies in Massachusetts you can expect to find a thirst for innovation and passion for niche specializations, particularly robotics.

Besides the Ivy League universities, Boston hosts and is surrounded by plenty of smaller colleges, technological institutes and academies.

Software Development Companies In Massachusetts And Tech Brands: 4 World Leaders

Boston and its neighboring towns are home to some of the best-known tech companies and products in the world.

These, too, play a role in shaping Boston’s workforce. Some of these organizations even subcontract smaller ones as development partners – some of which have made our list of the best software development companies in Boston, MA.

These are the world-leading tech companies that you probably didn’t know hailed from Massachusetts:

TripAdvisor

A leading online travel review site and activities booking agency, TripAdvisor was founded in 2000 in Needham, Massachusetts, where it is still headquartered.

• Employees: 1,000+ (Needham)
• Address: 400 1st Ave, Needham, MA

HubSpot

HubSpot is one of the best known CRM and marketing automation platforms in the world. Besides the technology platform itself, HubSpot is also renowned for its thought leadership in all things marketing as well as its online learning centers.

Hubspot was founded in 2005, Cambridge, MA, where it is headquartered to date.

• Employees: 1,000+ (Cambridge)
• Address: 25 First Street, Cambridge, MA

iRobot

iRobot develops home tech. The company was founded in 1990 by MIT roboticists.

Today they are a fully-fledged home robotics manufacturer and vendor. Their flagship products are the autonomous, i.e. robotic vacuum cleaners that look like something out of the Jetsons.

iRobot is headquartered in Bedford, MA.

• Employees: <1,000 (Bedford)
• Address: 8 Crosby Drive, Bedford

Wayfair

Wayfair is an international homeware eCommerce platform founded in 2002. The company harnesses the power of technology to help customers find exactly what they are looking for in the inventory of over 14 million articles.

Wayfair’s corporate headquarters are in Boston, MA, with offices in London and Berlin.

• Employees: 3,000 (Boston)
• Address: 4 Copley Place, Boston

Software Developers’ Salary in Boston And How These Affect Software Development Rates

The average salary for software developers in Boston is $82,573 per annum. Compared to other IT centers in the country, Boston developers get lower salaries.

This is due to the different cost of living which is:

• -31.2% lower than in New York City
• -14.1% than in San Francisco

So, unlike most of their peers across the US, software development companies in Boston wll offer high-quality products and budget-friendly rates.

How Much Do Software Development Companies In Massachusetts Charge For Their Services?

Software development companies in Massachusetts can charge in several different ways:

• Per hour
• By the project
• Based on project results
• On retainer, or a flat fee

The fee per hour is the most common billing option that these engineers offer and you can expect to pay between $50 and $150.

When billed by the project, several factors will dictate the price including:

• Project complexity
• Project scope
• Number of developers engaged

Software development companies in Massachusetts can charge a flat fee for each specific task or based on results which will depend on which KPIs should be reached.

How To Find The Right Software Development Company In Massachusetts?

Scrolling through our list of best software development companies in Massachusetts is a great place to start.

The list features carefully vetted companies, so you can jumpstart your research with confidence.

Here are the key factors to consider to select the right partner for your business:

• Portfolios: The past work of these developers will give you a unique insight into the type of projects they have worked on. They will show you how deep their knowledge of your industry is and point out their ability to deliver successful products.
• Reviews: Find out what past and current clients have to say about their partnerships with the potential software development companies in Boston. Their reviews will show you how easy it is to collaborate with them, what their management structure is like, what are their strengths and shortcomings and how transparent they are in performing, planning and pricing.
• Communication: Communication matters in managing the flow of information during the project successfully. The firm you pick should clearly determine the channels you will use to interact and the team members who will be the key contacts. The right partner will always keep you in the loop during every stage of the development process, provide details on their progress, testing and issues.
• QA testing: Quality assurance (QA) testing will ensure your software comes without any issues or bugs and will allow your partner to deliver a fully functional product. So, during your research for the best agency make sure you select one that focuses their efforts on testing before and after launch.
• Security: Digital solutions are often a target for hackers. This is why you need to make sure you receive a product that is highly secured against malicious activities. So, find out what processes these companies have in place to protect your information before you make your choice.

Top Questions To Ask Software Development Companies In Massachusetts Before You Hire One

The top software development companies in Massachusetts will have a lot to share, but make sure to ask these questions in the screening process:

• Technology: What is their preferred tech stack and why? Are there any technologies they deeply specialize in? Are they open to exploring other technologies that may be better suited to your project?
• Domain expertise: Have they developed solutions for your or a similar industry before? How well do they understand your industry, including the market, competition and other relevant inventory and laws? If they haven’t had contact with your industry, seek to understand how quickly they would be able to build domain knowledge.
• Portfolio and testimonials: Have they developed the type of solution you are commissioning or something similar to it? How well have they performed? What do their past clients identify as the company’s strengths and weaknesses?
• Communication: Do they have structured communication practices, channels and clearly defined roles?
• Development and engagement methods: What is their preferred development method? How do they manage the project? Which project management tools do they use? How do they engage with clients: Will you have dedicated resources at the company; Will you engage with project managers only; How do they handle requirement changes and setbacks, etc.?

Takeaways: Who Should Consider Software Development Companies In Massachusetts?

Boston’s tech scene is strong and growing.

The city’s proximity to the world-renowned universities and research facilities, along with its vicinity to the towns that have housed the creation of the world-leading software platforms, make Boston one of the most vibrant and innovative tech hubs in the US.

Besides software development companies in Boston, MA, the city is worth considering for more complex projects, particularly in the field of robotics.

Its exposure to the latest research and some of the brightest minds of today make Boston the ideal place to turn out-of-the-box and highly complex ideas into a tangible or virtual reality.

The recommended steps to selecting the best partner for your project include:

• Looking at these companies’ past work
• Reading their reviews
• Understanding their communication process
• Discovering their QA testing operations
• Asking about their security processes

Best of luck!

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