Medical Scientists in California. BLS OES + DOL OFLC + reader-reported submissions. How this is built →
Salary distribution
Where California medical scientists fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $109,570 and $162,020, with a median of $136,990.
Medical Scientists in California: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 549 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $93,434. 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 | 120 | $88,878 |
| Level II — qualified | 98 | $125,278 |
| Level III — experienced | 54 | $146,500 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 48 | $180,000 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Medical Scientists in California. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of California, Los Angeles | Assistant Project Scientist | 77 | $80,034 |
| The Leland Stanford, Jr University | Basic Life Research Scientist | 54 | $86,970 |
| University of California, San Francisco | Postdoctoral Scholar | 52 | $80,367 |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO | Assistant Project Scientist | 30 | $80,800 |
| Genentech, Inc. | Scientist | 29 | $141,500 |
| Cedars-Sinai Medical Center | Research Scientist | 28 | $93,434 |
| Gilead Sciences, Inc. | Associate Clinical Pharmacology Director | 26 | $140,462 |
| Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope | Staff Scientist | 18 | $85,024 |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINE | ASSISTANT PROJECT SCIENTIST | 13 | $85,000 |
| Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute | Staff Scientist | 11 | $78,749 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Pharmacovigilance Scientist, US Patient Safety Director at Genentech, Inc.$157,100South San FranciscoWage Level IIDecided —I-200-26085-730758
- Basic Life Research Scientist at The Leland Stanford, Jr University$83,000Palo AltoWage Level IDecided —I-200-26084-729462
- Research Scientist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center$113,193West HollywoodWage Level IDecided Mar 26, 2026I-200-26079-717261
- Postdoctoral Scholar at University of California, Los Angeles$82,836Los AngelesDecided Mar 25, 2026I-200-26077-712736
- Assistant Project Scientist at University of California, Los Angeles$85,000Los AngelesDecided Mar 25, 2026I-200-26077-712811
- Postdoctoral Associate at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute$78,749La JollaWage Level IDecided Mar 24, 2026I-200-26077-710692
- Postdoctoral Associate at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute$78,749La JollaWage Level IDecided Mar 24, 2026I-200-26077-710694
- Staff Scientist at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute$78,749La JollaWage Level IDecided Mar 24, 2026I-200-26077-710691
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.
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Medical Scientists pay by experience level in California
Each band reflects DOL Wage Levels I-IV mapped onto a four-step ladder. Click a level to see the disclosed-wage range for that segment.
Medical Scientists specialties in California
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 399 certified offers. The most common variant is Staff Scientist at a median of $125,139.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Staff Scientist | Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope | 104 | $125,139 |
| Assistant Project Scientist | University of California, Los Angeles | 78 | $84,118 |
| Postdoctoral Scholar | University of California, San Francisco | 59 | $77,030 |
| Research Associate | University of California, Los Angeles | 31 | $82,580 |
| Research Scientist | Cedars-Sinai Medical Center | 26 | $109,163 |
| Basic Life Research Scientist | The Leland Stanford, Jr University | 25 | $85,000 |
| Associate Specialist | University of California, San Francisco | 18 | $80,700 |
| Instructor | The Leland Stanford, Jr University | 15 | $101,000 |
| Postdoctoral Scholar-Employee | UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO | 15 | $77,179 |
| Associate Director, Clinical Operations | Gilead Sciences, Inc. | 13 | $185,000 |
| Assistant Professional Researcher | University of California, San Francisco | 8 | $99,100 |
| Assistant Researcher | University of California, Berkeley | 7 | $93,400 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Medical Scientists in California, by industry
Median offered wage across 549 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Education leads with a median of $82,100.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education | University of California, Los Angeles | 270 | $82,100 |
| Professional services | Genentech, Inc. | 188 | $125,278 |
| Manufacturing | AbbVie Inc. | 49 | $145,000 |
| Healthcare | Cedars-Sinai Medical Center | 35 | $93,434 |
| Real estate | Bayshore Global Management LLC | 2 | $1,000,480 |
| Retail and wholesale | Hims, Inc. | 2 | $137,500 |
| Technology and software | SIMULATIONS PLUS, INC. | 2 | $144,795 |
| Finance and insurance | Vivo Capital, LLC | 1 | $169,146 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in California over the past 3 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2025 dollars.
Typical entry
Education
Doctoral or professional degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Top skills (O*NET)
- 4.7 / 5
Biology
Knowledge
- 4.3 / 5
Writing
Basic skill
- 4.1 / 5
Oral Expression
Ability
- 4.1 / 5
Speaking
Basic skill
- 4.1 / 5
Written Expression
Ability
- 4.1 / 5
Science
Basic skill
- 4.1 / 5
Active Learning
Cross-functional
- 4.1 / 5
Inductive Reasoning
Ability
Common tasks (O*NET)
- 01
Follow strict safety procedures when handling toxic materials to avoid contamination.
- 02
Evaluate effects of drugs, gases, pesticides, parasites, and microorganisms at various levels.
- 03
Plan and direct studies to investigate human or animal disease, preventive methods, and treatments for disease.
- 04
Prepare and analyze organ, tissue, and cell samples to identify toxicity, bacteria, or microorganisms or to study cell structure.
- 05
Standardize drug dosages, methods of immunization, and procedures for manufacture of drugs and medicinal compounds.
- 06
Conduct research to develop methodologies, instrumentation, and procedures for medical application, analyzing data and presenting findings to the scientific audience and general public.
- 07
Teach principles of medicine and medical and laboratory procedures to physicians, residents, students, and technicians.
- 08
Study animal and human health and physiological processes.
10-year outlook
Growth 2024 → 2034
+8.7%
Projected annual openings
—
BLS outlook
Growing faster than average
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034 cycle.
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Explore coursesTop metros in California
Metro-level salary data for medical scientists in major California metropolitan areas.
- San Francisco$160,180
- San Jose$159,300
- Riverside$138,390
- Sacramento$137,640
- Los Angeles$134,890
- San Diego$130,980
Compare Medical Scientists pay across nearby states
Considering a move? Compare California with another state
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Medical Scientists in California?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Medical Scientists in California is $136,990.
- How does California compare to the national median for Medical Scientists?
- The California median is +29.8% versus the BLS national figure of $105,577.
- What is the salary range for Medical Scientists in California?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $81,320 and the 90th-percentile at $180,060, which captures most full-time workers in the role.
- Is Medical Scientists a growing field?
- BLS Employment Projections show employment growing by 8.7% over the projection cycle. See the 10-year outlook section above for details.
- What education is required for Medical Scientists?
- BLS lists the typical entry-level education as Doctoral or professional degree. Many employers also weigh prior experience and credentials.
Information on this page is for general educational purposes only. It is not career, financial, or tax advice. Wage data reflects BLS estimates for the reference year shown and may not match individual offers, employer-specific ranges, or current market conditions. Confirm with a licensed professional before making career or compensation decisions.