Principal Scientist H-1B salaries — 531 certified filings (FY2016–FY2026)
- 86
- Filings · FY2025
- $135k
- Median base · FY2025
- $112k–$155k
- Middle 50% · FY2025
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals
- Top sponsor · 40 all-time
Principal Scientist: 531 certified H-1B LCAs since FY2016. In FY2025 the median base salary was $135k across 86 filings, with the middle 50% of offers between $112k and $155k. The biggest sponsors are Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Bristol- Myers Squibb, Pfizer; most filings are in Tarrytown, NY.
How much does a Principal Scientist make on an H-1B?
Certified base salary by fiscal year: each box is the p25–p75 range, the heavy line the median, the whiskers reach p10–p90. $135k median in FY2025. Base pay only — hover a year for its figures.
How has Principal Scientist sponsorship changed?
20 certified filings in FY2016 → 85 in FY2026. The change column is each year against the one before.
| Fiscal year | Filings | vs prior FY | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026 | 85 | −1% | $155k |
| FY2025 | 86 | +69% | $135k |
| FY2024 | 51 | −14% | $140k |
| FY2023 | 59 | +64% | $133k |
| FY2022 | 36 | −12% | $120k |
| FY2021 | 41 | +3% | $130k |
| FY2020 | 40 | −17% | $105k |
| FY2019 | 48 | +30% | $110k |
| FY2018 | 37 | +32% | $126k |
| FY2017 | 28 | +40% | $109k |
| FY2016 | 20 | — | $94k |
Which companies sponsor H-1B Principal Scientists?
The employers with the most certified filings, all years, with their median base salary. Open any employer for its full profile.
| # | Employer | Filings | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Regeneron Pharmaceuticals | 40 | $160k |
| 2 | Bristol- Myers Squibb | 32 | $145k |
| 3 | Pfizer | 25 | $100k |
| 4 | Zoetis | 15 | $119k |
| 5 | Amgen | 11 | $157k |
| 6 | Medtronic | 8 | $117k |
| 7 | Intellia Therapeutics | 8 | $161k |
| 8 | Glaxosmithkline | 7 | $98k |
| 9 | Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals | 7 | $142k |
| 10 | Eli Lilly And | 7 | $119k |
Where are H-1B Principal Scientist jobs located?
Worksite cities with the most certified filings for this title, all years.
| # | City | Filings | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tarrytown, NY | 40 | $160k |
| 2 | Cambridge, MA | 39 | $153k |
| 3 | South San Francisco, CA | 17 | $160k |
| 4 | San Diego, CA | 11 | $120k |
| 5 | New York, NY | 11 | $130k |
| 6 | Princeton, NJ | 10 | $128k |
| 7 | New Brunswick, NJ | 10 | $140k |
| 8 | Philadelphia, PA | 10 | $107k |
| 9 | Waltham, MA | 9 | $144k |
| 10 | Boston, MA | 8 | $120k |
Common questions about Principal Scientist H-1B salaries
- What is the median H-1B salary for a Principal Scientist?
- The median certified H-1B base salary for Principal Scientist is $135k (FY2025), from 86 filings. Across all years the middle 50% earn between $107k and $155k.
- Which companies sponsor the most H-1B Principal Scientists?
- The top H-1B sponsors for Principal Scientist are Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Bristol- Myers Squibb, Pfizer.
- Where are most H-1B Principal Scientist jobs located?
- The top worksite locations for H-1B Principal Scientist roles are Tarrytown, NY, Cambridge, MA, South San Francisco, CA.
- Does a certified LCA mean Principal Scientist H-1B visas were approved?
- No. A Labor Condition Application (LCA) is the Department of Labor attestation an employer must have certified before filing an H-1B petition with USCIS. It records the job, worksite and offered wage, but not whether the petition was filed, selected in the lottery, or approved. Filing counts measure intent to sponsor, not headcount.
- What salary do these figures show?
- The base annual wage offered on the certified LCA, converted to a yearly amount. Bonus, equity, overtime and benefits are not included, so total compensation is typically higher. Figures are medians and percentiles over certified filings; wages above $5,000,000 a year are excluded as data-entry errors.
- What does the fiscal year mean here?
- Years are U.S. government fiscal years, October to September: FY2025 runs from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025. This matches how the Department of Labor publishes the disclosure files. The most recent year may be partial until its final quarter is released.
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Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification — certified LCA disclosure data through June 2026 (FY2016–FY2026). An LCA is not an approved visa; pay figures are base salary and exclude bonus and equity. Methodology →