Entry-level Molecular and Cellular Biologist salary in Columbia, MO

Based on 16 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the Columbia, MO metro area, FY2025–FY2026.

Median salary$53,040
Middle 50%$53k–$55.8k
vs. all levels here−4%comparison median $55,000
Filings16FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $53,040 and $83,122.
PercentileSalary
10th$53,040
25th$53,040
50th (median)$53,040
75th$55,760
90th$64,503

Salary by year

Median salary

$30k $45k $60k FY2021: median $34,486 (14 filings) FY2022: median $34,944 (13 filings) FY2023: median $51,293 (12 filings) FY2024: median $51,293 (13 filings) FY2025: median $53,040 (11 filings) FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26

Filings per year

FY2020: 3 filings FY20 FY2021: 14 filings FY21 FY2022: 13 filings FY22 FY2023: 12 filings FY23 FY2024: 13 filings FY24 FY2025: 11 filings FY25 FY2026: 5 filings FY26 14
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$34,486$34,486$34,48614
FY2022$34,944$34,944$34,94413
FY2023$51,293$45,822$51,29312
FY2024$51,293$51,293$51,29313
FY2025$53,040$53,040$53,04011
FY2026–––5

Cost of living

Columbia's median entry-level Molecular and Cellular Biologist salary of $53,040 is worth about $59,300 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 $53,040, 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

EmployerMedianFilings
The Curators of the University of Missouri$53,04015

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.