Scientist II H-1B salaries — 894 certified filings (FY2016–FY2026)
- 123
- Filings · FY2025
- $105k
- Median base · FY2025
- $85k–$134k
- Middle 50% · FY2025
- Allen Institute
- Top sponsor · 38 all-time
Scientist II: 894 certified H-1B LCAs since FY2016. In FY2025 the median base salary was $105k across 123 filings, with the middle 50% of offers between $85k and $134k. The biggest sponsors are Allen Institute, University of Wisconsin-system, Dana Farber Cancer Institute; most filings are in Cambridge, MA.
How much does a 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. $105k median in FY2025. Base pay only — hover a year for its figures.
How has Scientist II sponsorship changed?
60 certified filings in FY2016 → 136 in FY2026. The change column is each year against the one before.
| Fiscal year | Filings | vs prior FY | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026 | 136 | +11% | $90k |
| FY2025 | 123 | +31% | $105k |
| FY2024 | 94 | +38% | $101k |
| FY2023 | 68 | −30% | $92k |
| FY2022 | 97 | +37% | $100k |
| FY2021 | 71 | 0% | $105k |
| FY2020 | 71 | −1% | $97k |
| FY2019 | 72 | +33% | $95k |
| FY2018 | 54 | +13% | $90k |
| FY2017 | 48 | −20% | $83k |
| FY2016 | 60 | — | $82k |
Which companies sponsor H-1B 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 | Allen Institute | 38 | $98k |
| 2 | University of Wisconsin-system | 36 | $80k |
| 3 | Dana Farber Cancer Institute | 29 | $97k |
| 4 | University of Kentucky | 18 | $56k |
| 5 | Leidos Biomedical Research | 17 | $102k |
| 6 | Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research | 16 | $88k |
| 7 | California Institute of Technology Jet Propulsion Laboratory | 16 | $117k |
| 8 | Amneal Pharmaceuticals | 16 | $60k |
| 9 | Eurofins Biopharma Product Testing Columbia | 16 | $50k |
| 10 | Amneal Pharmaceuticals of NY | 14 | $63k |
Where are H-1B Scientist II jobs located?
Worksite cities with the most certified filings for this title, all years.
| # | City | Filings | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cambridge, MA | 84 | $110k |
| 2 | Boston, MA | 61 | $102k |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | 37 | $98k |
| 4 | Madison, WI | 37 | $80k |
| 5 | San Diego, CA | 31 | $105k |
| 6 | South San Francisco, CA | 28 | $121k |
| 7 | Houston, TX | 21 | $124k |
| 8 | Piscataway, NJ | 19 | $65k |
| 9 | Lexington, KY | 18 | $56k |
| 10 | Pasadena, CA | 16 | $117k |
Common questions about Scientist II H-1B salaries
- What is the median H-1B salary for a Scientist II?
- The median certified H-1B base salary for Scientist II is $105k (FY2025), from 123 filings. Across all years the middle 50% earn between $80k and $115k.
- Which companies sponsor the most H-1B Scientist IIs?
- The top H-1B sponsors for Scientist II are Allen Institute, University of Wisconsin-system, Dana Farber Cancer Institute.
- Where are most H-1B Scientist II jobs located?
- The top worksite locations for H-1B Scientist II roles are Cambridge, MA, Boston, MA, Seattle, WA.
- Does a certified LCA mean 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 →