Entry-level Research Scientist (Computer Science) salary in Pittsburgh, PA
Based on 28 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I 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 | $67,000 |
| 25th | $82,436 |
| 50th (median) | $111,500 |
| 75th | $155,145 |
| 90th | $180,129 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $91,536 | $83,175 | $139,200 | 19 |
| FY2021 | $72,500 | $67,746 | $90,000 | 25 |
| FY2022 | $82,348 | $70,554 | $105,000 | 14 |
| FY2023 | $115,000 | $92,500 | $125,000 | 22 |
| FY2024 | – | – | – | 4 |
| FY2025 | $113,000 | $97,791 | $125,000 | 11 |
| FY2026 | $95,019 | $70,000 | $167,939 | 17 |
Cost of living
Pittsburgh's median entry-level Research Scientist (Computer Science) salary of $111,500 is worth about $117,800 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 $111,500, 14% lower.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Carnegie Mellon University | $70,000 | 11 |
| Meta | too few | 5 |
| Amazon | too few | 3 |
| Duolingo | too few | 2 |
| University of Pittsburgh | 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.