Entry-level Medical Scientist salary in Philadelphia, PA
Based on 229 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Spring House, Collegeville, Wilmington, Malvern, Wynnewood.
Also listed as: Research Scientist, Associate Research Scientist
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $61,406 |
| 25th | $66,810 |
| 50th (median) | $71,185 |
| 75th | $80,000 |
| 90th | $97,500 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $63,000 | $62,234 | $71,794 | 55 |
| FY2021 | $64,501 | $64,501 | $65,554 | 34 |
| FY2022 | $64,297 | $55,224 | $70,000 | 65 |
| FY2023 | $64,000 | $56,472 | $68,000 | 122 |
| FY2024 | $68,500 | $64,750 | $75,000 | 115 |
| FY2025 | $70,303 | $66,300 | $76,860 | 133 |
| FY2026 | $72,960 | $69,339 | $80,336 | 96 |
Cost of living
Philadelphia's median entry-level Medical Scientist salary of $71,185 is worth about $69,400 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Philadelphia = 102.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists in the Philadelphia, PA area earned a median of $102,950 in May 2025 (8,020 employed). The H-1B median here is $71,185, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Trustees Of The University Of Pennsylvania | $75,000 | 117 |
| Temple University--A Commonwealth University | $72,000 | 33 |
| Thomas Jefferson University | $66,492 | 21 |
| Institute for Cancer Research | $73,500 | 13 |
| The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia | $61,318 | 12 |
| GlaxoSmithKline | too few | 6 |
| Drexel University | too few | 4 |
| Legend Biotech | too few | 3 |
| The Nemours Foundation - Nemours Children's Health | too few | 3 |
| Albert Einstein Medical Center | 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 | $71,185 | 229 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $86,957 | 86 |
| Senior · Level III | $133,500 | 15 |
| Expert · Level IV | $179,710 | 18 |
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 | $61,318 | $71,185 | 229 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $74,672 | $86,957 | 86 |
| Senior · Level III | $84,718 | $133,500 | 15 |
| Expert · Level IV | $138,133 | $179,710 | 18 |
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.