Medical Scientist salary in Indianapolis, IN

Based on 72 certified H-1B filings in the Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Carmel, Fishers, Lebanon, Whitestown.

Also listed as: Research Scientist, Associate Research Scientist

Median salary$73,250
Middle 50%$65k–$85.9k
vs. national median−3%comparison median $75,324
Filings72FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $60,323 and $205,875.
PercentileSalary
10th$61,384
25th$65,000
50th (median)$73,250
75th$85,929
90th$128,125

Salary by year

Median salary

$50k $65k $80k FY2020: median $69,000 (10 filings) FY2023: median $66,228 (23 filings) FY2024: median $63,920 (25 filings) FY2025: median $72,800 (41 filings) FY2026: median $73,500 (31 filings) FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26

Filings per year

FY2020: 10 filings FY20 FY2021: 8 filings FY21 FY2022: 6 filings FY22 FY2023: 23 filings FY23 FY2024: 25 filings FY24 FY2025: 41 filings FY25 FY2026: 31 filings FY26 41
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$69,000$53,064$145,06710
FY2021–––8
FY2022–––6
FY2023$66,228$59,796$108,40023
FY2024$63,920$61,000$72,30025
FY2025$72,800$64,356$83,00041
FY2026$73,500$65,970$101,77131

Cost of living

Indianapolis's median Medical Scientist salary of $73,250 is worth about $76,500 at national average prices.

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Indianapolis = 95.7).

Compared with all workers here

All Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists in the Indianapolis, IN area earned a median of $79,310 in May 2025 (920 employed). The H-1B median here is $73,250, 8% lower.

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

Top employers filing

EmployerMedianFilings
Indiana University Indianapolis$68,73450
Eli Lilly and Company$128,12516

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

By experience level

Wage levelMedianFilings
Entry-level · Level I $67,157 50
Mid-level · Level II too few 7
Senior · Level III too few 3
Expert · Level IV too few 9

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$60,320$67,15750

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.