Medical Scientist salary in Washington, DC
Based on 255 certified H-1B filings in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Bethesda, Gaithersburg, Silver Spring, Rockville, Frederick.
Also listed as: Research Scientist, Associate Research Scientist
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $75,480 |
| 25th | $91,778 |
| 50th (median) | $105,590 |
| 75th | $125,000 |
| 90th | $149,081 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $94,850 | $74,550 | $110,000 | 179 |
| FY2021 | $91,864 | $77,576 | $114,824 | 192 |
| FY2022 | $93,993 | $79,182 | $107,982 | 176 |
| FY2023 | $92,504 | $79,622 | $112,015 | 228 |
| FY2024 | $99,920 | $89,158 | $119,000 | 168 |
| FY2025 | $100,210 | $88,135 | $117,962 | 142 |
| FY2026 | $113,000 | $102,415 | $129,092 | 113 |
Cost of living
Washington's median Medical Scientist salary of $105,590 is worth about $97,000 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Washington = 108.9).
Compared with all workers here
All Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists in the Washington, DC area earned a median of $107,110 in May 2025 (5,980 employed). The H-1B median here is $105,590, 1% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| National Institutes of Health, HHS | $108,275 | 127 |
| AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals | $159,216 | 22 |
| Food And Drug Administration | $133,828 | 14 |
| Children's National Medical Center | $69,971 | 13 |
| Leidos Biomedical Research | $103,954 | 11 |
| Georgetown University | $72,750 | 10 |
| The Henry M. Jackson Foundation | too few | 5 |
| Charles River Laboratories | too few | 4 |
| Guidehouse Digital | too few | 4 |
| The George Washington University | too few | 4 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $96,198 | 131 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $121,826 | 75 |
| Senior · Level III | too few | 3 |
| Expert · Level IV | too few | 2 |
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 | $68,536 | $96,198 | 131 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $90,854 | $121,826 | 75 |
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.