Research Scientist (PhD) salary in California
A real-employer view of Research Scientist (PhD) pay, clustered from DOL OFLC certified filings. Variants like Senior, Lead, and II/III titles fold into this cluster — the wage range below reflects all of them.
Research Scientist (PhD) in California: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 12 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $111,851. Every figure below is an actual offered salary an employer attested to under federal law.
By DOL wage level
DOL classifies every offer into one of four wage levels based on the role's experience and skill requirements.
| Level | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|
| Level I — entry | 3 | $76,918 |
| Level II — qualified | 4 | $102,485 |
| Level III — experienced | 1 | $108,701 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 4 | $158,988 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Research Scientist (PhD) in California. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Scripps Research Institute | Research Scientist (PhD) | 2 | $77,033 |
| Promega Corporation | Research Scientist | 2 | $68,474 |
| Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC | Research Scientist (Chemist) | 2 | $172,104 |
| Ideaya Biosciences Inc. | Principal Research Scientist, Medicinal Chemistry | 2 | $158,988 |
| Diagnostic Consulting Network, LLC | Research Scientist II | 1 | $108,701 |
| Picarro, Inc. | Research Scientist (Experimental Analysis) | 1 | $115,000 |
| BRIDGENE BIOSCIENCES, INC. | Principal Research Scientist | 1 | $138,590 |
| Ellison Institute, LLC | Research Scientist I | 1 | $89,970 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Research Scientist (PhD) at The Scripps Research Institute$76,918La JollaWage Level IDecided Sep 9, 2025I-200-25245-282081
- Research Scientist II at Diagnostic Consulting Network, LLC$108,701CarlsbadWage Level IIIDecided Jul 3, 2025I-200-25177-133137
- Research Scientist at Promega Corporation$76,606San Luis ObispoWage Level IIDecided Jun 27, 2025I-200-25171-117476
- Research Scientist (Chemist) at Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC$156,569LivermoreWage Level IIDecided Jun 11, 2025I-200-25155-053560
- Principal Research Scientist, Medicinal Chemistry at Ideaya Biosciences Inc.$152,984South San FranciscoWage Level IVDecided Jun 10, 2025I-203-25154-046331
- Research Scientist (Experimental Analysis) at Picarro, Inc.$115,000Santa ClaraWage Level IIDecided Jun 10, 2025I-200-25154-048252
- Principal Research Scientist at BRIDGENE BIOSCIENCES, INC.$138,590San JoseWage Level IVDecided May 1, 2025I-200-25114-903162
- Research Scientist I at Ellison Institute, LLC$89,970Los AngelesWage Level IIDecided Apr 28, 2025I-200-25112-887794
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification. Disclosed wages reflect what employers attested to pay; actual paid wages may differ. Only certified filings are shown — denied and withdrawn cases are excluded.