Expert Molecular and Cellular Biologist salary in Philadelphia, PA
Based on 17 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Exton, West Point, Collegeville, Spring House, Malvern.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $106,808 |
| 25th | $120,000 |
| 50th (median) | $138,000 |
| 75th | $156,900 |
| 90th | $179,587 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $112,500 | $104,144 | $120,600 | 12 |
| FY2021 | $116,537 | $95,000 | $125,460 | 17 |
| FY2022 | $124,000 | $101,847 | $159,200 | 15 |
| FY2023 | – | – | – | 6 |
| FY2024 | – | – | – | 5 |
| FY2025 | – | – | – | 8 |
| FY2026 | – | – | – | 9 |
Cost of living
Philadelphia's median expert Molecular and Cellular Biologist salary of $138,000 is worth about $134,600 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Philadelphia = 102.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Molecular and Cellular Biologists in the Philadelphia, PA area earned a median of $106,670 in May 2025 (1,140 employed). The H-1B median here is $138,000, 29% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia | too few | 4 |
| Trustees Of The University Of Pennsylvania | too few | 4 |
| Merck Sharp & Dohme | too few | 3 |
| GlaxoSmithKline | 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 | 55 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $85,072 | 37 |
| Senior · Level III | $115,253 | 21 |
| Expert · Level IV | $138,000 | 17 |
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 | $65,187 | $72,000 | 55 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $82,618 | $85,072 | 37 |
| Senior · Level III | $104,894 | $115,253 | 21 |
| Expert · Level IV | $106,808 | $138,000 | 17 |
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.