Research Scientist II H-1B salaries — 1,263 certified filings (FY2016–FY2026)
- 164
- Filings · FY2025
- $120k
- Median base · FY2025
- $86k–$165k
- Middle 50% · FY2025
- Amazon.com Services
- Top sponsor · 478 all-time
Research Scientist II: 1,263 certified H-1B LCAs since FY2016. In FY2025 the median base salary was $120k across 164 filings, with the middle 50% of offers between $86k and $165k. The biggest sponsors are Amazon.com Services, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Georgia Institute of Technology; most filings are in Seattle, WA.
How much does a Research Scientist II 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. $120k median in FY2025. Base pay only — hover a year for its figures.
How has Research Scientist II sponsorship changed?
50 certified filings in FY2016 → 104 in FY2026. The change column is each year against the one before.
| Fiscal year | Filings | vs prior FY | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026 | 104 | −37% | $118k |
| FY2025 | 164 | +9% | $120k |
| FY2024 | 151 | +6% | $123k |
| FY2023 | 142 | −5% | $127k |
| FY2022 | 149 | +23% | $130k |
| FY2021 | 121 | −23% | $105k |
| FY2020 | 157 | +44% | $142k |
| FY2019 | 109 | +88% | $133k |
| FY2018 | 58 | 0% | $130k |
| FY2017 | 58 | +16% | $119k |
| FY2016 | 50 | — | $93k |
Which companies sponsor H-1B Research Scientist IIs?
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 | Amazon.com Services | 478 | $153k |
| 2 | Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research | 76 | $86k |
| 3 | Georgia Institute of Technology | 49 | $72k |
| 4 | The Broad Institute | 48 | $106k |
| 5 | Amazon Development Center U.S. | 45 | $160k |
| 6 | Amazon Corporate | 44 | $128k |
| 7 | Amazon Web Services | 42 | $152k |
| 8 | Iowa State University of Science and Technology | 39 | $61k |
| 9 | Health Research | 22 | $74k |
| 10 | Colorado State University | 20 | $74k |
Where are H-1B Research Scientist II jobs located?
Worksite cities with the most certified filings for this title, all years.
| # | City | Filings | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | 248 | $144k |
| 2 | Cambridge, MA | 167 | $105k |
| 3 | Bellevue, WA | 81 | $155k |
| 4 | New York, NY | 73 | $174k |
| 5 | Atlanta, GA | 59 | $76k |
| 6 | Sunnyvale, CA | 50 | $168k |
| 7 | Ames, IA | 37 | $61k |
| 8 | Albany, NY | 35 | $74k |
| 9 | San Diego, CA | 26 | $111k |
| 10 | Pasadena, CA | 23 | $160k |
Common questions about Research Scientist II H-1B salaries
- What is the median H-1B salary for a Research Scientist II?
- The median certified H-1B base salary for Research Scientist II is $120k (FY2025), from 164 filings. Across all years the middle 50% earn between $85k and $155k.
- Which companies sponsor the most H-1B Research Scientist IIs?
- The top H-1B sponsors for Research Scientist II are Amazon.com Services, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Georgia Institute of Technology.
- Where are most H-1B Research Scientist II jobs located?
- The top worksite locations for H-1B Research Scientist II roles are Seattle, WA, Cambridge, MA, Bellevue, WA.
- Does a certified LCA mean Research Scientist II 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 →