Mid-level Medical Scientist salary in Washington, DC
Based on 75 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level II 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 | $102,153 |
| 25th | $111,558 |
| 50th (median) | $121,826 |
| 75th | $137,000 |
| 90th | $164,849 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $103,000 | $93,593 | $112,495 | 55 |
| FY2021 | $103,690 | $96,290 | $123,148 | 52 |
| FY2022 | $106,823 | $97,531 | $114,336 | 59 |
| FY2023 | $113,792 | $103,157 | $124,860 | 48 |
| FY2024 | $117,982 | $102,330 | $125,000 | 34 |
| FY2025 | $117,963 | $106,520 | $130,974 | 37 |
| FY2026 | $125,000 | $121,785 | $137,000 | 38 |
Cost of living
Washington's median mid-level Medical Scientist salary of $121,826 is worth about $111,900 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 $121,826, 14% higher.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| National Institutes of Health, HHS | $124,222 | 40 |
| AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals | $145,314 | 11 |
| Children's National Medical Center | too few | 5 |
| Guidehouse Digital | too few | 3 |
| Leidos Biomedical Research | too few | 3 |
| BioNTech | too few | 2 |
| Cognizance Technologies | too few | 2 |
| Pharmaron (Germantown) Lab Services | too few | 2 |
| Remedybiz | 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 | $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.