Senior Biochemist salary in Washington, DC
Based on 14 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Gaithersburg, Bethesda, Chantilly, Rockville, Ashburn.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $104,166 |
| 25th | $105,504 |
| 50th (median) | $124,040 |
| 75th | $137,989 |
| 90th | $144,492 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $106,040 | $100,547 | $125,000 | 16 |
| FY2021 | $106,000 | $103,000 | $115,000 | 13 |
| FY2022 | $112,000 | $104,000 | $130,032 | 15 |
| FY2023 | – | – | – | 5 |
| FY2024 | $136,214 | $121,129 | $149,846 | 14 |
| FY2025 | – | – | – | 8 |
| FY2026 | – | – | – | 6 |
Cost of living
Washington's median senior Biochemist salary of $124,040 is worth about $113,900 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Washington = 108.9).
Compared with all workers here
All Biochemists and Biophysicists in the Washington, DC area earned a median of $103,660 in May 2025 (490 employed). The H-1B median here is $124,040, 20% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Axle Informatics | too few | 3 |
| Granules Pharmaceuticals | too few | 3 |
| Hansoh Bio | too few | 2 |
| MedImmune | too few | 2 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $80,000 | 78 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $113,900 | 58 |
| Senior · Level III | $124,040 | 14 |
| 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 | $67,038 | $80,000 | 78 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $83,928 | $113,900 | 58 |
| Senior · Level III | $104,166 | $124,040 | 14 |
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.