Entry-level Medical Scientist salary in Los Angeles, CA
Based on 37 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I 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 | $88,799 |
| 25th | $88,878 |
| 50th (median) | $93,434 |
| 75th | $93,434 |
| 90th | $105,411 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $54,540 | $50,190 | $60,700 | 56 |
| FY2021 | $71,386 | $59,747 | $75,639 | 36 |
| FY2022 | $59,858 | $50,024 | $62,882 | 54 |
| FY2023 | $64,480 | $56,877 | $68,710 | 43 |
| FY2024 | $63,440 | $53,206 | $69,035 | 44 |
| FY2025 | $88,878 | $88,878 | $93,434 | 25 |
| FY2026 | $93,434 | $93,434 | $93,434 | 12 |
Cost of living
Los Angeles's median entry-level Medical Scientist salary of $93,434 is worth about $82,300 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 $93,434, 31% lower.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Cedars-Sinai Medical Center | $91,728 | 19 |
| The University of Southern California | too few | 6 |
| Children's Hospital Los Angeles | too few | 3 |
| Keck Graduate Institute of Applied Life Sciences | 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.