Sr. Scientist H-1B salaries — 187 certified filings (FY2016–FY2026)
- 29
- Filings · FY2025
- $118k
- Median base · FY2025
- $92k–$140k
- Middle 50% · FY2025
- Eli Lilly And
- Top sponsor · 15 all-time
Sr. Scientist: 187 certified H-1B LCAs since FY2016. In FY2025 the median base salary was $118k across 29 filings, with the middle 50% of offers between $92k and $140k. The biggest sponsors are Eli Lilly And, Amgen, ST Jude Childrenís Research Hospital; most filings are in San Diego, CA.
How much does a Sr. 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. $118k median in FY2025. Base pay only — hover a year for its figures.
How has Sr. Scientist sponsorship changed?
13 certified filings in FY2016 → 27 in FY2026. The change column is each year against the one before.
| Fiscal year | Filings | vs prior FY | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026 | 27 | −7% | $123k |
| FY2025 | 29 | +38% | $118k |
| FY2024 | 21 | +31% | $103k |
| FY2023 | 16 | +23% | $102k |
| FY2022 | 13 | −13% | $109k |
| FY2021 | 15 | −6% | $110k |
| FY2020 | 16 | +220% | $128k |
| FY2019 | 5 | −75% | $92k |
| FY2018 | 20 | +67% | $90k |
| FY2017 | 12 | −8% | $96k |
| FY2016 | 13 | — | $87k |
Which companies sponsor H-1B Sr. 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 | Eli Lilly And | 15 | $102k |
| 2 | Amgen | 10 | $145k |
| 3 | ST Jude Childrenís Research Hospital | 6 | $103k |
| 4 | Bio-Rad Laboratories | 6 | $109k |
| 5 | Medtronic | 6 | $99k |
| 6 | Medical Science Computing | 5 | $105k |
| 7 | Aon Benfield | 5 | $80k |
| 8 | Senseair North America | 5 | $87k |
| 9 | Teva Pharmaceuticals USA | 4 | $101k |
| 10 | Ppd Development L P | 4 | $67k |
Where are H-1B Sr. Scientist jobs located?
Worksite cities with the most certified filings for this title, all years.
| # | City | Filings | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Diego, CA | 8 | $110k |
| 2 | Chicago, IL | 7 | $80k |
| 3 | Boston, MA | 7 | $118k |
| 4 | Thousand Oaks, CA | 7 | $143k |
| 5 | Memphis, TN | 6 | $103k |
| 6 | Tucson, AZ | 5 | $87k |
| 7 | Watertown, MA | 5 | $112k |
| 8 | Cambridge, MA | 5 | $126k |
| 9 | Pleasanton, CA | 5 | $109k |
| 10 | Indianapolis, IN | 5 | $83k |
Common questions about Sr. Scientist H-1B salaries
- What is the median H-1B salary for a Sr. Scientist?
- The median certified H-1B base salary for Sr. Scientist is $118k (FY2025), from 29 filings. Across all years the middle 50% earn between $90k and $129k.
- Which companies sponsor the most H-1B Sr. Scientists?
- The top H-1B sponsors for Sr. Scientist are Eli Lilly And, Amgen, ST Jude Childrenís Research Hospital.
- Where are most H-1B Sr. Scientist jobs located?
- The top worksite locations for H-1B Sr. Scientist roles are San Diego, CA, Chicago, IL, Boston, MA.
- Does a certified LCA mean Sr. 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 →