Medical Scientist salary in Los Angeles, CA
Based on 223 certified H-1B filings in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Irvine, Duarte, Pasadena, West Hollywood, Monrovia.
Also listed as: Research Scientist, Associate Research Scientist
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $74,403 |
| 25th | $78,005 |
| 50th (median) | $85,578 |
| 75th | $93,434 |
| 90th | $129,958 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $64,251 | $57,576 | $76,100 | 205 |
| FY2021 | $68,462 | $63,100 | $77,854 | 151 |
| FY2022 | $65,292 | $60,497 | $71,602 | 191 |
| FY2023 | $68,400 | $64,480 | $74,569 | 213 |
| FY2024 | $72,720 | $66,685 | $80,443 | 190 |
| FY2025 | $86,500 | $78,000 | $94,300 | 141 |
| FY2026 | $85,000 | $80,800 | $93,434 | 82 |
Cost of living
Los Angeles's median Medical Scientist salary of $85,578 is worth about $75,400 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Los Angeles = 113.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists in the Los Angeles, CA area earned a median of $134,890 in May 2025 (8,520 employed). The H-1B median here is $85,578, 37% 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
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| University of California, Los Angeles | $80,200 | 93 |
| Cedars-Sinai Medical Center | $93,434 | 30 |
| Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope | $81,034 | 23 |
| University Of California, Irvine | $80,800 | 17 |
| City of Hope National Medical Center | $80,738 | 10 |
| California Institute of Technology | too few | 9 |
| AbbVie | too few | 8 |
| The University of Southern California | too few | 7 |
| Children's Hospital Los Angeles | too few | 3 |
| Kaiser Foundation Health Plan | 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 | $93,434 | 37 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $110,000 | 19 |
| Senior · Level III | $142,500 | 12 |
| 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 | $88,878 | $93,434 | 37 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $105,435 | $110,000 | 19 |
| Senior · Level III | $122,824 | $142,500 | 12 |
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.