Research Manager (Natural Sciences) salary
From 1,205 certified H-1B filings (FY2025–FY2026). Base salary only.
- Occupation code 11-9121: Natural Sciences Managers
- Also filed as: Clinical Research Coordinator, Clinical Research Manager
At a glance
- Mostly Level I (entry-level). 34% of Research Manager (Natural Sciences) filings are Level I, compared with 19% across all H-1B filings.
- Top filer: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. 37 filings (3% of the total), median $94,682.
- Median up 13% since FY2020. From $120,000 in FY2020 to $136,115 in FY2026 (Q1–Q3). Nominal, not adjusted for inflation.
Research Manager (Natural Sciences) H-1B salary overview
Employers filed 1,205 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications for Research Manager (Natural Sciences) jobs in FY2025–FY2026 (occupation code 11-9121, Natural Sciences Managers). The median base salary is $129,688, 6% above the median for all H-1B filings ($122,699), and half of the filings fall between $83,195 and $181,934. The most common wage level is Level I (entry-level), at 34% of filings. New York, NY has the most filings (217), and Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai is the employer that files the most (37).
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Percentiles from certified H-1B filings, base salary only. Metro areas with at least 10 filings.
Top employers for Research Manager (Natural Sciences)
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai37 filings · 3%$94,682
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals27 filings · 2%$218,946
Amgen23 filings · 2%$169,990
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital21 filings · 2%$80,184
University of Michigan20 filings · 2%$66,191
PPD Development, L.P.19 filings · 2%$143,392
The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia18 filings · 1%$69,823
Eli Lilly and Company16 filings · 1%$211,702
Gilead Sciences14 filings · 1%$188,812
University Of Miami14 filings · 1%$76,907
Employers with the most Research Manager (Natural Sciences) filings. Bar: share of all Research Manager (Natural Sciences) filings. Figure: median base salary.
Pay by level
Entry-level · 34% of filings
Mid-level · 33% of filings
Senior · 19% of filings
Expert · 14% of filings
Show the table
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Level I · Entry | $82,700 | 371 |
| Level II · Qualified | $134,576 | 351 |
| Level III · Experienced | $165,000 | 201 |
| Level IV · Fully competent | $230,615 | 156 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Research Manager (Natural Sciences) pay by city
Median base salary in each metro area. Rent: HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027.
Show all 25 metro areas
| Metro area | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | $141,764 | 217 |
| Boston, MA | $190,000 | 87 |
| San Francisco, CA | $194,041 | 66 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $100,475 | 54 |
| Chicago, IL | $121,478 | 47 |
| Miami, FL | $100,000 | 37 |
| Washington, DC | $150,509 | 36 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $133,666 | 34 |
| Houston, TX | $140,000 | 28 |
| San Diego, CA | $171,080 | 24 |
| Dallas, TX | $90,126 | 23 |
| Memphis, TN | $80,184 | 22 |
| Tampa, FL | $102,000 | 21 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | $67,692 | 20 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $175,000 | 20 |
| San Jose, CA | $160,219 | 20 |
| Atlanta, GA | $84,755 | 18 |
| Seattle, WA | $156,911 | 18 |
| St. Louis, MO | $62,941 | 17 |
| Durham, NC | $106,355 | 16 |
| Columbus, OH | $84,698 | 15 |
| Denver, CO | $95,711 | 10 |
| Detroit, MI | $132,215 | 10 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $104,432 | 10 |
| Salt Lake, UT | $93,844 | 10 |
Metro areas with at least 10 filings for this occupation.
What a Research Manager (Natural Sciences) does
Plan, direct, or coordinate activities in such fields as life sciences, physical sciences, mathematics, statistics, and research and development in these fields.
Typical tasks
- Hire, supervise, or evaluate engineers, technicians, researchers, or other staff.
- Design or coordinate successive phases of problem analysis, solution proposals, or testing.
- Plan or direct research, development, or production activities.
- Review project activities and prepare and review research, testing, or operational reports.
- Confer with scientists, engineers, regulators, or others to plan or review projects or to provide technical assistance.
- Develop client relationships and communicate with clients to explain proposals, present research findings, establish specifications, or discuss project status.
Preparation
Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed. Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
O*NET occupation: Natural Sciences Managers (11-9121.00). This section includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
H-1B pay vs. all U.S. workers
Across all U.S. workers in this occupation (Natural Sciences Managers), the median annual wage was $167,220 in May 2025, with 108,690 people employed. The median H-1B base salary in FY2025–FY2026 is $129,688, 22% lower.
| H-1B filings | All U.S. workers (BLS, May 2025) | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $68,182 | $79,710 |
| 25th percentile | $83,195 | $119,430 |
| Median | $129,688 | $167,220 |
| 75th percentile | $181,934 | $221,540 |
| 90th percentile | $229,303 | $239,200+ |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). BLS wages cover all wage and salary workers and include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are the base salary offered on certified LCAs. The two sources cover different periods. BLS reports wages of $239,200 or more as a single top value.
Salary details
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $68,182 |
| 25th | $83,195 |
| 50th (median) | $129,688 |
| 75th | $181,934 |
| 90th | $229,303 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $120,000 | $92,221 | $150,000 | 480 |
| FY2021 | $124,051 | $88,419 | $160,000 | 631 |
| FY2022 | $119,371 | $77,764 | $161,595 | 675 |
| FY2023 | $117,021 | $75,700 | $164,674 | 647 |
| FY2024 | $116,740 | $76,315 | $161,206 | 646 |
| FY2025 | $123,940 | $84,698 | $170,000 | 722 |
| FY2026 | $136,115 | $82,750 | $196,046 | 483 |
Questions
How much does an H-1B Research Manager (Natural Sciences) make?
The median base salary in certified H-1B filings for Research Manager (Natural Sciences) jobs is $129,688 (1,205 filings, FY2025–FY2026). Half of the filings are between $83,195 and $181,934.
What does an entry-level Research Manager (Natural Sciences) earn on an H-1B?
Level I (entry-level) filings have a median of $82,700. Level I accounts for 34% of Research Manager (Natural Sciences) filings.
Which employers file the most H-1B applications for Research Manager (Natural Sciences)s?
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (37), Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (27) and Amgen (23) filed the most Research Manager (Natural Sciences) LCAs in FY2025–FY2026.
Do H-1B Research Manager (Natural Sciences)s earn more than other U.S. workers in the same job?
The H-1B median base salary ($129,688) is 22% lower than the median wage of all U.S. workers in this occupation ($167,220, BLS May 2025). The sources measure pay differently, so treat this as a rough comparison.