Research Scientist (Computer Science) salary in Pittsburgh, PA
Based on 90 certified H-1B filings in the Pittsburgh, PA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Mars, Pittsburg, Sewickley.
Also listed as: Machine Learning Engineer, AI Researcher
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $82,895 |
| 25th | $119,076 |
| 50th (median) | $167,580 |
| 75th | $202,928 |
| 90th | $270,500 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $115,714 | $95,000 | $147,500 | 70 |
| FY2021 | $120,037 | $85,176 | $152,694 | 73 |
| FY2022 | $125,000 | $87,610 | $153,423 | 50 |
| FY2023 | $154,500 | $120,840 | $186,740 | 61 |
| FY2024 | $158,100 | $128,968 | $193,138 | 20 |
| FY2025 | $164,550 | $132,326 | $199,076 | 38 |
| FY2026 | $167,970 | $116,576 | $207,050 | 52 |
Cost of living
Pittsburgh's median Research Scientist (Computer Science) salary of $167,580 is worth about $177,000 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Pittsburgh = 94.7).
Compared with all workers here
All Computer and Information Research Scientists in the Pittsburgh, PA area earned a median of $130,300 in May 2025 (50 employed). The H-1B median here is $167,580, 29% higher.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | $181,200 | 16 |
| Carnegie Mellon University | $80,145 | 14 |
| Meta | $168,765 | 13 |
| Duolingo | $203,600 | 10 |
| Fujitsu Research of America | too few | 5 |
| Netramind Innovations | too few | 4 |
| too few | 3 | |
| Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence | too few | 3 |
| Robert Bosch | too few | 3 |
| Qeexo | 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 | $111,500 | 28 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $160,500 | 30 |
| Senior · Level III | $192,668 | 21 |
| Expert · Level IV | $238,630 | 11 |
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 | $60,965 | $111,500 | 28 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $131,456 | $160,500 | 30 |
| Senior · Level III | $134,826 | $192,668 | 21 |
| Expert · Level IV | $150,883 | $238,630 | 11 |
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.