Expert Molecular and Cellular Biologist salary in New York, NY
Based on 54 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Tarrytown, Newark, Piscataway, Upton, South Plainfield.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $134,763 |
| 25th | $138,466 |
| 50th (median) | $160,132 |
| 75th | $188,800 |
| 90th | $210,350 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $128,000 | $112,500 | $145,000 | 23 |
| FY2021 | $130,000 | $121,500 | $158,172 | 28 |
| FY2022 | $132,223 | $106,000 | $149,166 | 48 |
| FY2023 | $152,504 | $127,093 | $181,745 | 34 |
| FY2024 | $144,450 | $131,124 | $155,501 | 28 |
| FY2025 | $156,951 | $137,943 | $189,500 | 27 |
| FY2026 | $165,700 | $139,233 | $187,200 | 27 |
Cost of living
New York's median expert Molecular and Cellular Biologist salary of $160,132 is worth about $142,300 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; New York = 112.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Molecular and Cellular Biologists in the New York, NY area earned a median of $111,380 in May 2025 (1,970 employed). The H-1B median here is $160,132, 44% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center | too few | 7 |
| Schrodinger | too few | 5 |
| Tempus AI | too few | 4 |
| Eli Lilly and Company | too few | 3 |
| Novartis Pharmaceuticals | too few | 3 |
| Regeneron Genetics Center | too few | 3 |
| Bristol-Myers Squibb Company | too few | 2 |
| CD Biosciences | too few | 2 |
| Howard Hughes Medical Institute | too few | 2 |
| Merck Sharp & Dohme | 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 | $80,400 | 98 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $100,653 | 182 |
| Senior · Level III | $125,000 | 73 |
| Expert · Level IV | $160,132 | 54 |
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 | $72,280 | $80,400 | 98 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $82,867 | $100,653 | 182 |
| Senior · Level III | $117,250 | $125,000 | 73 |
| Expert · Level IV | $138,466 | $160,132 | 54 |
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.