Life Scientist salary
From 91 certified H-1B filings (FY2025–FY2026). Base salary only.
- Occupation code 19-1099: Life Scientists, All Other
At a glance
- Mostly Level I (entry-level). 44% of Life Scientist filings are Level I, compared with 19% across all H-1B filings.
- Top filer: L.E.K. Consulting. 10 filings (11% of the total), median $152,500.
- Median up 26% since FY2020. From $63,000 in FY2020 to $79,624 in FY2026 (Q1–Q3). Nominal, not adjusted for inflation.
Life Scientist H-1B salary overview
Employers filed 91 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications for Life Scientist jobs in FY2025–FY2026 (occupation code 19-1099, Life Scientists, All Other). The median base salary is $75,500, 38% below the median for all H-1B filings ($122,699), and half of the filings fall between $64,171 and $120,000. The most common wage level is Level I (entry-level), at 44% of filings. New York, NY has the most filings (21), and L.E.K. Consulting is the employer that files the most (10).
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Percentiles from certified H-1B filings, base salary only. Metro areas with at least 10 filings.
Top employers for Life Scientist
Employers with the most Life Scientist filings. Bar: share of all Life Scientist filings. Figure: median base salary.
Pay by level
Entry-level · 44% of filings
Mid-level · 26% of filings
Senior · 18% of filings
Expert · 12% of filings
Show the table
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Level I · Entry | $64,000 | 37 |
| Level II · Qualified | $77,769 | 22 |
| Level III · Experienced | $152,500 | 15 |
| Level IV · Fully competent | $155,000 | 10 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Life Scientist pay by city
Median base salary in each metro area. Rent: HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027.
Show all 2 metro areas
| Metro area | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | $75,090 | 21 |
| Buffalo, NY | $67,174 | 10 |
Metro areas with at least 10 filings for this occupation.
What a Life Scientist does
All life scientists not listed separately.
O*NET occupation: Life Scientists, All Other (19-1099.00). 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 (Life Scientists, All Other), the median annual wage was $93,750 in May 2025, with 7,460 people employed. The median H-1B base salary in FY2025–FY2026 is $75,500, 19% lower.
| H-1B filings | All U.S. workers (BLS, May 2025) | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $58,600 | $58,670 |
| 25th percentile | $64,171 | $68,990 |
| Median | $75,500 | $93,750 |
| 75th percentile | $120,000 | $131,910 |
| 90th percentile | $152,500 | $186,260 |
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 | $58,600 |
| 25th | $64,171 |
| 50th (median) | $75,500 |
| 75th | $120,000 |
| 90th | $152,500 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $63,000 | $51,730 | $80,000 | 70 |
| FY2021 | $65,000 | $59,884 | $69,186 | 102 |
| FY2022 | $70,863 | $62,400 | $103,433 | 62 |
| FY2023 | $101,750 | $67,315 | $152,500 | 39 |
| FY2024 | $74,263 | $61,059 | $83,050 | 43 |
| FY2025 | $75,000 | $60,484 | $100,000 | 49 |
| FY2026 | $79,624 | $67,722 | $122,610 | 42 |
Questions
How much does an H-1B Life Scientist make?
The median base salary in certified H-1B filings for Life Scientist jobs is $75,500 (91 filings, FY2025–FY2026). Half of the filings are between $64,171 and $120,000.
What does an entry-level Life Scientist earn on an H-1B?
Level I (entry-level) filings have a median of $64,000. Level I accounts for 44% of Life Scientist filings.
Do H-1B Life Scientists earn more than other U.S. workers in the same job?
The H-1B median base salary ($75,500) is 19% lower than the median wage of all U.S. workers in this occupation ($93,750, BLS May 2025). The sources measure pay differently, so treat this as a rough comparison.