Research Scientist (Computer Science) salary in Philadelphia, PA

Based on 32 certified H-1B filings in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Wilmington, King Of Prussia, Newark, Malvern, Berwyn.

Also listed as: Machine Learning Engineer, AI Researcher

Median salary$124,276
Middle 50%$107.5k–$144.7k
vs. national median−33%comparison median $185,536
Filings32FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $81,868 and $193,579.
PercentileSalary
10th$91,000
25th$107,515
50th (median)$124,276
75th$144,748
90th$163,804

Salary by year

Median salary

$90k $125k $160k FY2020: median $101,500 (22 filings) FY2021: median $113,311 (20 filings) FY2022: median $123,800 (19 filings) FY2023: median $108,212 (13 filings) FY2024: median $146,550 (21 filings) FY2025: median $118,000 (16 filings) FY2026: median $127,673 (16 filings) FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26

Filings per year

FY2020: 22 filings FY20 FY2021: 20 filings FY21 FY2022: 19 filings FY22 FY2023: 13 filings FY23 FY2024: 21 filings FY24 FY2025: 16 filings FY25 FY2026: 16 filings FY26 22
Shaded: FY2025–FY2026, the years behind the figures above. Median shown for years with at least 10 filings. FY2026 covers Q1–Q3 only.
Show as table
Fiscal yearMedianP25P75Filings
FY2020$101,500$80,965$125,88022
FY2021$113,311$88,838$149,13420
FY2022$123,800$90,220$145,77819
FY2023$108,212$107,390$154,56513
FY2024$146,550$125,000$175,00021
FY2025$118,000$94,572$144,87316
FY2026$127,673$109,500$144,53416

Cost of living

Philadelphia's median Research Scientist (Computer Science) salary of $124,276 is worth about $121,200 at national average prices.

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Philadelphia = 102.6).

Compared with all workers here

All Computer and Information Research Scientists in the Philadelphia, PA area earned a median of $125,320 in May 2025 (350 employed). The H-1B median here is $124,276, 1% 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

EmployerMedianFilings
JPMorgan Chasetoo few5
Continental Finance Companytoo few2
Iqviatoo few2

Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.

By experience level

Wage levelMedianFilings
Entry-level · Level I too few 2
Mid-level · Level II $115,000 13
Senior · Level III – 0
Expert · Level IV too few 2

Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.

Minimum H-1B salary by level

Wage levelPrevailing wage (most common)Median offered salaryFilings
Mid-level · Level II$106,059$115,00013

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.