Senior Molecular and Cellular Biologist salary in Washington, DC
Based on 53 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Bethesda, Gaithersburg, Rockville, Ashburn, Frederick.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $80,306 |
| 25th | $100,972 |
| 50th (median) | $119,700 |
| 75th | $129,168 |
| 90th | $150,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $117,202 | $107,536 | $125,004 | 23 |
| FY2021 | $115,720 | $110,032 | $124,121 | 25 |
| FY2022 | $111,925 | $94,044 | $127,500 | 27 |
| FY2023 | $94,846 | $89,105 | $111,125 | 88 |
| FY2024 | $119,574 | $112,756 | $139,152 | 57 |
| FY2025 | $116,854 | $99,574 | $128,899 | 37 |
| FY2026 | $125,167 | $116,854 | $131,990 | 16 |
Cost of living
Washington's median senior Molecular and Cellular Biologist salary of $119,700 is worth about $109,900 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Washington = 108.9).
Compared with all workers here
All Molecular and Cellular Biologists in the Washington, DC area earned a median of $114,920 in May 2025 (5,720 employed). The H-1B median here is $119,700, 4% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| National Institutes of Health, HHS | $120,345 | 14 |
| AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals | too few | 3 |
| Axle Informatics | too few | 3 |
| Cognizance Technologies | too few | 3 |
| Howard Hughes Medical Institute | too few | 3 |
| The Henry M. Jackson Foundation | too few | 3 |
| Children's National Medical Center | too few | 2 |
| Johns Hopkins University | too few | 2 |
| Kemp Proteins | too few | 2 |
| Leidos Biomedical Research | 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 | $87,000 | 111 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $92,706 | 89 |
| Senior · Level III | $119,700 | 53 |
| Expert · Level IV | $145,492 | 37 |
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 | $53,040 | $87,000 | 111 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $92,706 | $92,706 | 89 |
| Senior · Level III | $72,862 | $119,700 | 53 |
| Expert · Level IV | $83,866 | $145,492 | 37 |
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.