Senior Biochemist salary in San Diego, CA
Based on 18 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes La Jolla, Oceanside, Carlsbad, Lo Jolla.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $116,355 |
| 25th | $116,355 |
| 50th (median) | $122,432 |
| 75th | $124,867 |
| 90th | $135,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | – | – | – | 2 |
| FY2021 | $88,462 | $83,221 | $115,000 | 13 |
| FY2022 | $109,158 | $94,900 | $119,465 | 15 |
| FY2023 | – | – | – | 6 |
| FY2024 | $128,000 | $123,943 | $135,572 | 11 |
| FY2025 | – | – | – | 8 |
| FY2026 | $117,013 | $116,355 | $127,375 | 10 |
Cost of living
San Diego's median senior Biochemist salary of $122,432 is worth about $109,400 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Diego = 111.9).
Compared with all workers here
All Biochemists and Biophysicists in the San Diego, CA area earned a median of $121,740 in May 2025 (710 employed). The H-1B median here is $122,432, 1% higher.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research | too few | 4 |
| Gilead Sciences | too few | 3 |
| Neurocrine Biosciences | 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 | $75,171 | 38 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $81,149 | 35 |
| Senior · Level III | $122,432 | 18 |
| Expert · Level IV | – | 0 |
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 | $79,019 | $75,171 | 38 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $60,590 | $81,149 | 35 |
| Senior · Level III | $116,355 | $122,432 | 18 |
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.