Senior Molecular and Cellular Biologist salary in Madison, WI

Based on 11 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III in the Madison, WI metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Fitchburg, Middleton.

Median salary$85,509
Middle 50%$77.5k–$112.1k
vs. all levels here+13%comparison median $75,862
Filings11FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $75,000 and $170,566.
PercentileSalary
10th$75,000
25th$77,486
50th (median)$85,509
75th$112,095
90th$166,082

Cost of living

Madison's median senior Molecular and Cellular Biologist salary of $85,509 is worth about $87,900 at national average prices.

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Madison = 97.3).

Compared with all workers here

All Molecular and Cellular Biologists in the Madison, WI area earned a median of $77,550 in May 2025 (440 employed). The H-1B median here is $85,509, 10% 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
University of Wisconsin Systemtoo few5
Catalent Pharma Solutionstoo few2

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

By experience level

Wage levelMedianFilings
Entry-level · Level I $66,492 24
Mid-level · Level II $75,982 14
Senior · Level III $85,509 11
Expert · Level IV too few 4

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$61,734$66,49224
Mid-level · Level II$75,982$75,98214
Senior · Level III$71,822$85,50911

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.