Biochemist salary
From 4,381 certified H-1B filings (FY2025–FY2026). Base salary only.
- Occupation code 19-1021: Biochemists and Biophysicists
At a glance
- Mostly Level I (entry-level). 52% of Biochemist filings are Level I, compared with 19% across all H-1B filings.
- Top filer: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. 303 filings (7% of the total), median $72,530.
- Pay depends on the city. Among the 10 metro areas with the most filings, the median ranges from $72,530 in Memphis, TN to $102,400 in San Francisco, CA.
- Median up 31% since FY2020. From $61,000 in FY2020 to $80,000 in FY2026 (Q1–Q3). Nominal, not adjusted for inflation.
Biochemist H-1B salary overview
Employers filed 4,381 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications for Biochemist jobs in FY2025–FY2026 (occupation code 19-1021, Biochemists and Biophysicists). The median base salary is $79,802, 35% below the median for all H-1B filings ($122,699), and half of the filings fall between $70,000 and $103,901. The most common wage level is Level I (entry-level), at 52% of filings. Boston, MA has the most filings (646), and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is the employer that files the most (303).
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Percentiles from certified H-1B filings, base salary only. Metro areas with at least 10 filings.
Top employers for Biochemist
University of California, San Francisco186 filings · 4%$81,806
The Leland Stanford, Jr University146 filings · 3%$79,535
Duke University114 filings · 3%$75,254
Howard Hughes Medical Institute85 filings · 2%$81,149
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals84 filings · 2%$139,798
The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center73 filings · 2%$74,768
Massachusetts Institute of Technology68 filings · 2%$77,967
University Of California, San Diego68 filings · 2%$80,800
Albert Einstein College of Medicine51 filings · 1%$74,460
Employers with the most Biochemist filings. Bar: share of all Biochemist filings. Figure: median base salary.
Pay by level
Entry-level · 52% of filings
Mid-level · 32% of filings
Senior · 10% of filings
Expert · 6% of filings
Show the table
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Level I · Entry | $72,529 | 2,030 |
| Level II · Qualified | $89,477 | 1,256 |
| Level III · Experienced | $126,610 | 374 |
| Level IV · Fully competent | $150,000 | 217 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Biochemist pay by city
Median base salary in each metro area. Rent: HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027.
Show all 50 metro areas
Metro areas with at least 10 filings for this occupation.
What a Biochemist does
Study the chemical composition or physical principles of living cells and organisms, their electrical and mechanical energy, and related phenomena. May conduct research to further understanding of the complex chemical combinations and reactions involved in metabolism, reproduction, growth, and heredity. May determine the effects of foods, drugs, serums, hormones, and other substances on tissues and vital processes of living organisms.
Typical tasks
- Share research findings by writing scientific articles or by making presentations at scientific conferences.
- Teach or advise undergraduate or graduate students or supervise their research.
- Study physical principles of living cells or organisms and their electrical or mechanical energy, applying methods and knowledge of mathematics, physics, chemistry, or biology.
- Manage laboratory teams or monitor the quality of a team's work.
- Develop new methods to study the mechanisms of biological processes.
- Write grant proposals to obtain funding for research.
Preparation
Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed. Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
O*NET occupation: Biochemists and Biophysicists (19-1021.00). This section includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
H-1B pay vs. all U.S. workers
Across all U.S. workers in this occupation (Biochemists and Biophysicists), the median annual wage was $127,410 in May 2025, with 33,830 people employed. The median H-1B base salary in FY2025–FY2026 is $79,802, 37% lower.
| H-1B filings | All U.S. workers (BLS, May 2025) | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $62,652 | $74,290 |
| 25th percentile | $70,000 | $95,000 |
| Median | $79,802 | $127,410 |
| 75th percentile | $103,901 | $163,460 |
| 90th percentile | $137,000 | $201,110 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). BLS wages cover all wage and salary workers and include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are the base salary offered on certified LCAs. The two sources cover different periods. BLS reports wages of $239,200 or more as a single top value.
Salary details
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $62,652 |
| 25th | $70,000 |
| 50th (median) | $79,802 |
| 75th | $103,901 |
| 90th | $137,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $61,000 | $53,080 | $78,429 | 2,724 |
| FY2021 | $65,000 | $56,264 | $85,000 | 2,898 |
| FY2022 | $67,292 | $57,949 | $90,000 | 2,825 |
| FY2023 | $70,013 | $61,572 | $93,200 | 2,629 |
| FY2024 | $75,540 | $65,900 | $100,921 | 2,640 |
| FY2025 | $79,054 | $70,000 | $102,900 | 2,603 |
| FY2026 | $80,000 | $70,344 | $104,000 | 1,778 |
Questions
How much does an H-1B Biochemist make?
The median base salary in certified H-1B filings for Biochemist jobs is $79,802 (4,381 filings, FY2025–FY2026). Half of the filings are between $70,000 and $103,901.
What does an entry-level Biochemist earn on an H-1B?
Level I (entry-level) filings have a median of $72,529. Level I accounts for 52% of Biochemist filings.
Which city pays H-1B Biochemists the most?
Among metro areas with at least 100 filings, San Francisco, CA has the highest median base salary for Biochemist jobs: $102,400 (478 filings).
Which employers file the most H-1B applications for Biochemists?
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (303), University of California, San Francisco (186) and The Leland Stanford, Jr University (146) filed the most Biochemist LCAs in FY2025–FY2026.
Do H-1B Biochemists earn more than other U.S. workers in the same job?
The H-1B median base salary ($79,802) is 37% lower than the median wage of all U.S. workers in this occupation ($127,410, BLS May 2025). The sources measure pay differently, so treat this as a rough comparison.