Research Scientist (Computer Science) salary in Seattle, WA
Based on 1,408 certified H-1B filings in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Bellevue, Redmond, Kirkland, Bothell, Shoreline.
Also listed as: Machine Learning Engineer, AI Researcher
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $150,000 |
| 25th | $165,000 |
| 50th (median) | $176,914 |
| 75th | $203,379 |
| 90th | $222,785 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $152,000 | $142,110 | $160,000 | 514 |
| FY2021 | $155,438 | $139,880 | $164,845 | 370 |
| FY2022 | $160,000 | $150,000 | $181,000 | 549 |
| FY2023 | $170,678 | $155,397 | $191,875 | 518 |
| FY2024 | $175,900 | $158,066 | $198,940 | 467 |
| FY2025 | $176,571 | $165,000 | $197,987 | 702 |
| FY2026 | $178,006 | $165,000 | $208,673 | 706 |
Cost of living
Seattle's median Research Scientist (Computer Science) salary of $176,914 is worth about $159,200 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Seattle = 111.1).
Compared with all workers here
All Computer and Information Research Scientists in the Seattle, WA area earned a median of $211,270 in May 2025 (1,620 employed). The H-1B median here is $176,914, 16% 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
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | $170,000 | 901 |
| Meta | $203,350 | 210 |
| NVIDIA | $211,058 | 39 |
| ByteDance | $298,000 | 23 |
| $189,667 | 22 | |
| Tencent America | $220,000 | 16 |
| Adobe | $179,391 | 14 |
| Microsoft | $217,750 | 12 |
| TikTok | $176,571 | 11 |
| Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence | $240,000 | 10 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $160,000 | 182 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $185,000 | 329 |
| Senior · Level III | $215,000 | 117 |
| Expert · Level IV | $258,826 | 77 |
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 | $142,064 | $160,000 | 182 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $178,006 | $185,000 | 329 |
| Senior · Level III | $214,178 | $215,000 | 117 |
| Expert · Level IV | $250,370 | $258,826 | 77 |
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.