Entry-level Research Scientist (Computer Science) salary in Seattle, WA
Based on 182 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I 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 | $142,064 |
| 25th | $146,700 |
| 50th (median) | $160,000 |
| 75th | $170,225 |
| 90th | $191,580 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $149,000 | $127,600 | $152,000 | 145 |
| FY2021 | $125,000 | $114,478 | $152,500 | 39 |
| FY2022 | $150,000 | $115,000 | $158,000 | 93 |
| FY2023 | $152,000 | $128,981 | $165,000 | 113 |
| FY2024 | $143,118 | $136,000 | $160,000 | 60 |
| FY2025 | $160,000 | $143,750 | $168,825 | 106 |
| FY2026 | $160,000 | $151,500 | $175,827 | 76 |
Cost of living
Seattle's median entry-level Research Scientist (Computer Science) salary of $160,000 is worth about $144,000 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 $160,000, 24% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | $160,000 | 117 |
| Meta | $192,851 | 12 |
| NVIDIA | too few | 8 |
| ByteDance | too few | 7 |
| too few | 3 | |
| InnoPeak Technology | too few | 3 |
| Zoom Communications | too few | 3 |
| eBay | too few | 2 |
| TikTok | too few | 2 |
| Collaborative Robotics | 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 | $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.