Senior Molecular and Cellular Biologist salary in San Diego, CA
Based on 40 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III 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 | $115,149 |
| 25th | $116,376 |
| 50th (median) | $120,000 |
| 75th | $127,100 |
| 90th | $144,420 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $89,211 | $84,150 | $99,000 | 19 |
| FY2021 | $99,067 | $98,134 | $123,750 | 14 |
| FY2022 | $108,200 | $100,000 | $130,000 | 19 |
| FY2023 | $107,505 | $99,008 | $121,500 | 26 |
| FY2024 | $108,150 | $105,000 | $125,000 | 21 |
| FY2025 | $119,000 | $115,149 | $130,840 | 19 |
| FY2026 | $121,500 | $116,376 | $127,100 | 21 |
Cost of living
San Diego's median senior Molecular and Cellular Biologist salary of $120,000 is worth about $107,300 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 $120,000, 11% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Illumina | too few | 6 |
| Genentech | too few | 4 |
| Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute | too few | 4 |
| Altos Labs | too few | 3 |
| Fate Therapeutics | too few | 3 |
| Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research | too few | 3 |
| Bristol-Myers Squibb Company | too few | 2 |
| PathAI | too few | 2 |
| Poseida Therapeutics | too few | 2 |
| Thermo Fisher Scientific | 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 | $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.