Molecular and Cellular Biologist salary in Columbia, MO

Based on 21 certified H-1B filings in the Columbia, MO metro area, FY2025–FY2026.

Median salary$55,000
Middle 50%$53k–$63k
vs. national median−35%comparison median $84,406
Filings21FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $53,040 and $84,560.
PercentileSalary
10th$53,040
25th$53,040
50th (median)$55,000
75th$62,962
90th$72,420

Salary by year

Median salary

$30k $45k $60k FY2021: median $34,715 (22 filings) FY2022: median $46,051 (26 filings) FY2023: median $51,293 (14 filings) FY2024: median $51,293 (16 filings) FY2025: median $53,040 (14 filings) FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26

Filings per year

FY2020: 3 filings FY20 FY2021: 22 filings FY21 FY2022: 26 filings FY22 FY2023: 14 filings FY23 FY2024: 16 filings FY24 FY2025: 14 filings FY25 FY2026: 7 filings FY26 26
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–––3
FY2021$34,715$34,486$46,56122
FY2022$46,051$34,944$46,28026
FY2023$51,293$45,822$51,29314
FY2024$51,293$51,293$53,04016
FY2025$53,040$53,040$55,00014
FY2026–––7

Cost of living

Columbia's median Molecular and Cellular Biologist salary of $55,000 is worth about $61,500 at national average prices.

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Columbia = 89.4).

Compared with all workers here

All Molecular and Cellular Biologists in the Columbia, MO area earned a median of $76,400 in May 2025 (70 employed). The H-1B median here is $55,000, 28% 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
The Curators of the University of Missouri$55,00020

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

By experience level

Wage levelMedianFilings
Entry-level · Level I $53,040 16
Mid-level · Level II too few 5
Senior · Level III – 0
Expert · Level IV – 0

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$53,040$53,04016

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.