Mid-level Biochemist salary in Durham, NC

Based on 69 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level II in the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Chapel Hill, Research Triangle Park.

Median salary$77,854
Middle 50%$75.3k–$77.9k
vs. all levels here+3%comparison median $75,254
Filings69FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $75,254 and $131,035.
PercentileSalary
10th$75,254
25th$75,254
50th (median)$77,854
75th$77,933
90th$96,010

Salary by year

Median salary

$50k $70k $90k FY2020: median $56,880 (58 filings) FY2021: median $58,500 (61 filings) FY2022: median $58,800 (59 filings) FY2023: median $63,000 (59 filings) FY2024: median $68,500 (62 filings) FY2025: median $75,254 (40 filings) FY2026: median $77,854 (29 filings) FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26

Filings per year

FY2020: 58 filings FY20 FY2021: 61 filings FY21 FY2022: 59 filings FY22 FY2023: 59 filings FY23 FY2024: 62 filings FY24 FY2025: 40 filings FY25 FY2026: 29 filings FY26 62
Shaded: FY2025–FY2026, the years behind the figures above. Median shown for years with at least 10 filings. FY2026 covers Q1–Q3 only.
Show as table
Fiscal yearMedianP25P75Filings
FY2020$56,880$52,704$72,92358
FY2021$58,500$53,760$62,42461
FY2022$58,800$56,712$61,69459
FY2023$63,000$59,425$69,80759
FY2024$68,500$63,543$75,25462
FY2025$75,254$75,254$77,85440
FY2026$77,854$77,854$78,50029

Cost of living

Durham's median mid-level Biochemist salary of $77,854 is worth about $79,800 at national average prices.

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Durham = 97.6).

Compared with all workers here

All Biochemists and Biophysicists in the Durham, NC area earned a median of $87,650 in May 2025 (260 employed). The H-1B median here is $77,854, 11% lower.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.

Employers filing at this level

EmployerMedianFilings
Duke University$77,85457
University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hilltoo few5
KBI Biopharmatoo few2

Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.

By experience level

Wage levelMedianFilings
Entry-level · Level I $67,746 82
Mid-level · Level II $77,854 69
Senior · Level III too few 3
Expert · Level IV too few 2

Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.

Minimum H-1B salary by level

Wage levelPrevailing wage (most common)Median offered salaryFilings
Entry-level · Level I$62,608$67,74682
Mid-level · Level II$77,854$77,85469

The prevailing wage is the minimum an employer must pay for this job and area. Amounts vary by county within a metro and by wage source.