Molecular and Cellular Biologist salary in San Diego, CA
Based on 216 certified H-1B filings in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes La Jolla, Carlsbad, Vista, Oceanside, Solana Beach.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $71,380 |
| 25th | $78,000 |
| 50th (median) | $89,500 |
| 75th | $118,050 |
| 90th | $137,520 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $65,000 | $60,000 | $89,427 | 139 |
| FY2021 | $73,902 | $63,294 | $95,000 | 134 |
| FY2022 | $81,600 | $66,242 | $110,000 | 139 |
| FY2023 | $75,000 | $64,480 | $100,000 | 136 |
| FY2024 | $86,445 | $74,425 | $115,000 | 117 |
| FY2025 | $85,000 | $76,000 | $112,289 | 122 |
| FY2026 | $96,111 | $79,125 | $122,000 | 94 |
Cost of living
San Diego's median Molecular and Cellular Biologist salary of $89,500 is worth about $80,000 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Diego = 111.9).
Compared with all workers here
All Molecular and Cellular Biologists in the San Diego, CA area earned a median of $108,350 in May 2025 (1,960 employed). The H-1B median here is $89,500, 17% lower.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Top employers filing
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| The Salk Institute for Biological Studies | $78,000 | 29 |
| The Scripps Research Institute | $84,843 | 23 |
| La Jolla Institute for Immunology | $71,760 | 17 |
| University Of California, San Diego | $80,000 | 13 |
| Illumina | $122,500 | 12 |
| Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute | $85,950 | 11 |
| Genentech | too few | 6 |
| Altos Labs | too few | 5 |
| Eli Lilly and Company | too few | 5 |
| Illumina Software | too few | 5 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $76,000 | 83 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $97,185 | 62 |
| Senior · Level III | $120,000 | 40 |
| Expert · Level IV | $147,175 | 18 |
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 | $73,798 | $76,000 | 83 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $94,474 | $97,185 | 62 |
| Senior · Level III | $116,376 | $120,000 | 40 |
| Expert · Level IV | $135,304 | $147,175 | 18 |
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.