Senior Molecular and Cellular Biologist salary in Los Angeles, CA
Based on 27 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Irvine, Pasadena, West Hollywood, El Monte, Torrance.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $105,867 |
| 25th | $106,912 |
| 50th (median) | $108,000 |
| 75th | $117,288 |
| 90th | $138,285 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | – | – | – | 3 |
| FY2021 | $99,660 | $99,080 | $103,402 | 10 |
| FY2022 | $101,608 | $79,051 | $104,956 | 11 |
| FY2023 | $100,000 | $70,554 | $107,000 | 21 |
| FY2024 | $69,160 | $69,160 | $109,805 | 18 |
| FY2025 | – | – | – | 9 |
| FY2026 | $108,000 | $106,912 | $111,500 | 18 |
Cost of living
Los Angeles's median senior Molecular and Cellular Biologist salary of $108,000 is worth about $95,100 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 $108,000, 12% 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
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| A-New Bio | too few | 3 |
| Cedars-Sinai Medical Center | too few | 3 |
| Fulgent Therapeutics | too few | 3 |
| AbbVie | too few | 2 |
| DeepNephro | 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 | $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 level | Prevailing wage (most common) | Median offered salary | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $70,990 | $70,990 | 74 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $85,322 | $85,325 | 43 |
| Senior · Level III | $106,912 | $108,000 | 27 |
| Expert · Level IV | $127,130 | $143,800 | 16 |
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.