Molecular and Cellular Biologist salary in Durham, NC
Based on 55 certified H-1B filings in the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Chapel Hill, Research Triangle Park.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $69,461 |
| 25th | $77,250 |
| 50th (median) | $90,071 |
| 75th | $101,967 |
| 90th | $108,200 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $75,000 | $56,000 | $90,000 | 33 |
| FY2021 | $74,004 | $62,191 | $86,153 | 40 |
| FY2022 | $86,482 | $71,250 | $105,237 | 34 |
| FY2023 | $88,600 | $78,136 | $99,198 | 33 |
| FY2024 | $83,730 | $70,621 | $95,000 | 26 |
| FY2025 | $86,252 | $77,250 | $100,800 | 34 |
| FY2026 | $90,354 | $78,000 | $102,000 | 21 |
Cost of living
Durham's median Molecular and Cellular Biologist salary of $90,071 is worth about $92,300 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Durham = 97.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Molecular and Cellular Biologists in the Durham, NC area earned a median of $98,700 in May 2025 (1,390 employed). The H-1B median here is $90,071, 9% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Howard Hughes Medical Institute | too few | 8 |
| Duke University | too few | 6 |
| University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill | too few | 6 |
| ElevateBio Technologies | too few | 4 |
| National Institutes of Health, HHS | too few | 4 |
| Zifo Technologies | too few | 4 |
| Duke University Health System | too few | 3 |
| Beam Therapeutics | too few | 2 |
| Research Triangle Institute | 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 | $72,000 | 16 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $90,500 | 22 |
| Senior · Level III | $100,621 | 14 |
| Expert · Level IV | – | 0 |
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 | $53,040 | $72,000 | 16 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $83,658 | $90,500 | 22 |
| Senior · Level III | $79,082 | $100,621 | 14 |
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.