Medical Scientist salary in Madison, WI

Based on 52 certified H-1B filings in the Madison, WI metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Middleton.

Also listed as: Research Scientist, Associate Research Scientist

Median salary$72,000
Middle 50%$67.9k–$80.6k
vs. national median−4%comparison median $75,324
Filings52FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $52,513 and $120,048.
PercentileSalary
10th$64,100
25th$67,853
50th (median)$72,000
75th$80,563
90th$91,000

Salary by year

Median salary

$50k $70k $90k FY2020: median $58,193 (30 filings) FY2021: median $58,608 (27 filings) FY2022: median $59,892 (46 filings) FY2023: median $60,000 (31 filings) FY2024: median $66,550 (36 filings) FY2025: median $70,829 (31 filings) FY2026: median $81,947 (21 filings) FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26

Filings per year

FY2020: 30 filings FY20 FY2021: 27 filings FY21 FY2022: 46 filings FY22 FY2023: 31 filings FY23 FY2024: 36 filings FY24 FY2025: 31 filings FY25 FY2026: 21 filings FY26 46
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$58,193$53,094$66,97030
FY2021$58,608$53,082$61,94027
FY2022$59,892$55,723$66,30046
FY2023$60,000$55,134$64,91731
FY2024$66,550$61,806$76,03636
FY2025$70,829$67,062$76,69031
FY2026$81,947$70,000$91,00021

Cost of living

Madison's median Medical Scientist salary of $72,000 is worth about $74,000 at national average prices.

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Madison = 97.3).

Compared with all workers here

All Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists in the Madison, WI area earned a median of $85,570 in May 2025 (1,920 employed). The H-1B median here is $72,000, 16% 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
University of Wisconsin System$71,75836
PPD Development, L.P.too few7
The Morgridge Institute For Researchtoo few6
Sonova United States Corporate Servicestoo few2

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

By experience level

Wage levelMedianFilings
Entry-level · Level I $70,000 36
Mid-level · Level II too few 8
Senior · Level III too few 2
Expert · Level IV too few 2

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$56,202$70,00036

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.