Molecular and Cellular Biologist salary in St. Louis, MO
Based on 64 certified H-1B filings in the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes St Louis, Saint Louis, Chesterfield, Kirkwood.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $53,851 |
| 25th | $57,736 |
| 50th (median) | $65,532 |
| 75th | $77,830 |
| 90th | $113,391 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $90,000 | $56,035 | $109,944 | 29 |
| FY2021 | $78,000 | $61,757 | $88,426 | 19 |
| FY2022 | $68,037 | $57,476 | $106,250 | 24 |
| FY2023 | $79,104 | $55,326 | $102,287 | 28 |
| FY2024 | $64,242 | $57,023 | $87,580 | 28 |
| FY2025 | $65,063 | $56,222 | $80,000 | 37 |
| FY2026 | $66,000 | $61,560 | $77,106 | 27 |
Cost of living
St. Louis's median Molecular and Cellular Biologist salary of $65,532 is worth about $68,900 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; St. Louis = 95.1).
Compared with all workers here
All Molecular and Cellular Biologists in the St. Louis, MO area earned a median of $78,330 in May 2025 (480 employed). The H-1B median here is $65,532, 16% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Washington University | $63,120 | 39 |
| Saint Louis University | too few | 4 |
| Bayer Research and Development Services | too few | 3 |
| CapyBio | too few | 2 |
| Panome Bio | too few | 2 |
| Solis Agrosciences | too few | 2 |
| University of Michigan | too few | 2 |
| Wake Forest University | 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 | $58,240 | 34 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $75,000 | 17 |
| Senior · Level III | too few | 4 |
| Expert · Level IV | too few | 5 |
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 | $53,851 | $58,240 | 34 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $63,856 | $75,000 | 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.