Entry-level Biochemist salary in Philadelphia, PA
Based on 111 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Newark, West Point, Wilmington, Spring House, Malvern.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $66,000 |
| 25th | $69,325 |
| 50th (median) | $75,165 |
| 75th | $88,164 |
| 90th | $93,636 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $56,264 | $53,498 | $59,238 | 107 |
| FY2021 | $57,000 | $56,264 | $59,589 | 71 |
| FY2022 | $58,698 | $56,665 | $65,000 | 57 |
| FY2023 | $65,000 | $61,992 | $74,256 | 49 |
| FY2024 | $70,676 | $67,000 | $86,750 | 59 |
| FY2025 | $73,220 | $68,696 | $86,529 | 68 |
| FY2026 | $79,456 | $70,395 | $91,415 | 43 |
Cost of living
Philadelphia's median entry-level Biochemist salary of $75,165 is worth about $73,300 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Philadelphia = 102.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Biochemists and Biophysicists in the Philadelphia, PA area earned a median of $134,090 in May 2025 (3,050 employed). The H-1B median here is $75,165, 44% 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
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Trustees Of The University Of Pennsylvania | $70,914 | 39 |
| The Wistar Institute of Anatomy and Biology | $70,547 | 26 |
| Qps | $90,764 | 24 |
| Thomas Jefferson University | too few | 7 |
| Merck Sharp & Dohme | too few | 3 |
| Resolian f.k.a. Alliance Pharma | too few | 3 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $75,165 | 111 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $95,243 | 39 |
| Senior · Level III | too few | 6 |
| Expert · Level IV | too few | 3 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Minimum H-1B salary by level
| Wage level | Prevailing wage (most common) | Median offered salary | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $61,984 | $75,165 | 111 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $69,618 | $95,243 | 39 |
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.