Expert Molecular and Cellular Biologist salary in Los Angeles, CA

Based on 16 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Irvine, Pasadena, West Hollywood, El Monte, Torrance.

Median salary$143,800
Middle 50%$127.7k–$150k
vs. all levels here+78%comparison median $80,800
Filings16FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $115,825 and $253,200.
PercentileSalary
10th$126,163
25th$127,660
50th (median)$143,800
75th$150,000
90th$165,500

Salary by year

Median salary

$110k $135k $160k FY2022: median $135,012 (13 filings) FY2024: median $127,901 (14 filings) FY2025: median $147,342 (10 filings) FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26

Filings per year

FY2020: 5 filings FY20 FY2021: 2 filings FY21 FY2022: 13 filings FY22 FY2023: 8 filings FY23 FY2024: 14 filings FY24 FY2025: 10 filings FY25 FY2026: 6 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–––5
FY2021–––2
FY2022$135,012$120,000$160,00013
FY2023–––8
FY2024$127,901$124,613$145,00014
FY2025$147,342$143,800$154,50010
FY2026–––6

Cost of living

Los Angeles's median expert Molecular and Cellular Biologist salary of $143,800 is worth about $126,600 at national average prices.

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Los Angeles = 113.6).

Compared with all workers here

All Molecular and Cellular Biologists in the Los Angeles, CA area earned a median of $96,380 in May 2025 (2,320 employed). The H-1B median here is $143,800, 49% 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

EmployerMedianFilings
Fulgent Therapeuticstoo few2

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

By experience level

Wage levelMedianFilings
Entry-level · Level I $70,990 74
Mid-level · Level II $85,325 43
Senior · Level III $108,000 27
Expert · Level IV $143,800 16

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$70,990$70,99074
Mid-level · Level II$85,322$85,32543
Senior · Level III$106,912$108,00027
Expert · Level IV$127,130$143,80016

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.