Entry-level Molecular and Cellular Biologist salary in Columbus, OH

Based on 24 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the Columbus, OH metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes New Albany, Grove City.

Median salary$62,442
Middle 50%$61k–$68.5k
vs. all levels here−7%comparison median $66,935
Filings24FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $54,440 and $76,943.
PercentileSalary
10th$61,008
25th$61,008
50th (median)$62,442
75th$68,500
90th$75,705

Salary by year

Median salary

$50k $60k $70k FY2022: median $55,750 (12 filings) FY2024: median $63,442 (14 filings) FY2025: median $61,008 (15 filings) FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26

Filings per year

FY2020: 1 filings FY20 FY2021: 3 filings FY21 FY2022: 12 filings FY22 FY2023: 7 filings FY23 FY2024: 14 filings FY24 FY2025: 15 filings FY25 FY2026: 9 filings FY26 15
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–––1
FY2021–––3
FY2022$55,750$53,724$60,19512
FY2023–––7
FY2024$63,442$57,123$66,22814
FY2025$61,008$61,008$66,49215
FY2026–––9

Cost of living

Columbus's median entry-level Molecular and Cellular Biologist salary of $62,442 is worth about $65,400 at national average prices.

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Columbus = 95.5).

Compared with all workers here

All Molecular and Cellular Biologists in the Columbus, OH area earned a median of $82,010 in May 2025 (170 employed). The H-1B median here is $62,442, 24% 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 Ohio State University$62,44224

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

By experience level

Wage levelMedianFilings
Entry-level · Level I $62,442 24
Mid-level · Level II $66,935 16
Senior · Level III too few 6
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$62,44224
Mid-level · Level II$51,522$66,93516

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.