Rails City of the Week: Boston
Photo by Adam Pieniazek.
Since the start of the New Year, we’ve had clients signing up from all corners of the country. With the abundance of Rails opportunities we’re currently hiring for, we’ve decided to run a series of posts featuring a different top Rails city each week.
First up: Boston. And where better to begin? The Greater Boston area is, after all, home to mirRoR HQ and most of the mirRoR crew has called Boston (or New England) home for years. Despite the fact that Boston is home for us, the current Rails scene may persuade you to consider making Boston home for you!
First, some quick, general notes about the Boston Ruby on Rails job market based on our experience over the last three years:
- Boston has the most stable Rails work nationwide. Although the San Francisco Bay Area is generally flush with Rails opportunities, a higher percentage of these opportunities are at early-stage startups. Working for a company so young, while exciting, comes with its share of risk. Boston has some of these early-stage startups too, but overall, candidates we’ve placed in Boston Rails gigs have enjoyed some of the most stable Rails work in the nation.
- Boston Rails shops are more often business to business (vs. business to consumer) ventures. Rails consultancies more frequently call Boston home than Rails shops targeting consumers directly. There are some of both, of course, but especially in comparison to other top Rails cities, Boston hosts a preponderance of business to business ventures.
- Boston Rails gigs typically offer lower compensations than San Francisco and New York. In terms of compensation, Boston can’t quite hold its own against San Francisco and New York where Rails developers bring home some of the highest salaries in the industry. Despite a lower salary range, Boston Rails companies still pay well, particularly when you consider that the cost of living in Boston (while generally high) is certainly less than the cost of living in San Francisco or New York.
These are some of the trends we’ve seen in our hometown over the last three years. Based on this experience and on the state of the Boston Rails market today, we think there has never been a better time to find a Rails gig in the Greater Boston area.
The Rails industry overall is experiencing a serious upswing since 2009, a trend that is evident in the mirRoR index (our way of tracking the health of the Ruby on Rails community). But in Boston in particular, Rails opportunities are abundant… and growing.
In addition to increasing Rails opportunities, Boston boasts an active Boston Ruby Group and multipleMeetups across New England. This active Ruby community fosters an environment of collaboration and innovation at Rails shops throughout the Greater Boston area.
Boston is also home to some serious brainpower, as some of the top colleges and universities in the country are located on either side of the Charles River. This young, educated population fuels Boston’s economy.
In terms of logistics outside of Rails, San Francisco and New York do have some of the best public transportation systems in the country, but Boston isn’t far behind. As for learning to speak our language, there is always the Wicked Good Guide to Boston English. And if you’re a sports fan, we’ve got you covered.
While San Francisco may have nice weather year-round, don’t be scared off by the winter snow and cold in Boston— New Englanders enjoy four beautiful seasons.
You can check out some of our current Boston Rails openings, but give us a call or shoot us an email to get the latest scoop. If you’re at all considering relocation, now is a good time to consider Boston.