Salary distribution
Where North Carolina medical scientists fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $73,420 and $151,430, with a median of $104,300.
Medical Scientists in North Carolina: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 77 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $73,698. 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 | 26 | $65,068 |
| Level II — qualified | 24 | $73,779 |
| Level III — experienced | 7 | $149,513 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 6 | $178,971 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Medical Scientists in North Carolina. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duke University | Postdoctoral Associate | 20 | $69,032 |
| UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL | Research Associate | 14 | $68,596 |
| Wake Forest University Health Sciences | Post Doctoral Fellow | 6 | $63,948 |
| East Carolina University | Postdoctoral Scholar | 5 | $65,640 |
| National Institutes of Health, HHS | Research Fellow | 4 | $100,201 |
| The Charlotte Mecklenburg Hospital Authority d/b/a Atrium Health | Post-doctoral Research Fellow | 2 | $71,876 |
| Guidehouse Digital LLC | Technical Senior Analyst | 2 | $90,176 |
| Akebia Therapeutics, Inc. | Clinical Pharmacologist | 2 | $141,012 |
| KBI Biopharma, Inc. | Senior Research Associate | 2 | $92,831 |
| Amgen Inc. | Global Safety Sr Medical Scientist | 2 | $235,442 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Postdoctoral Associate at Duke University$64,170DurhamDecided Dec 26, 2025I-200-25352-494387
- Subject Matter Expert at ArisGlobal, LLC.$111,956Fuquay-VarinaDecided Dec 26, 2025I-200-25352-495637
- Post-doctoral Research Fellow at The Charlotte Mecklenburg Hospital Authority d/b/a Atrium Health$75,920CharlotteDecided Dec 24, 2025I-200-25351-489756
- Research Fellow at National Institutes of Health, HHS$90,354Research Triangle ParkDecided Dec 22, 2025I-200-25349-483225
- Research Health Outcomes Scientist 2 at RTI Health Solutions LLC$118,729DurhamDecided Dec 3, 2025I-200-25329-438399
- Postdoctoral Scholar at East Carolina University$65,640GreenvilleDecided Nov 28, 2025I-200-25324-425724
- Technical Senior Analyst at Guidehouse Digital LLC$90,176DurhamDecided Nov 26, 2025I-200-25323-420990
- Post Doctoral Fellow at Wake Forest University Health Sciences$64,896Winston-SalemDecided Nov 24, 2025I-200-25321-412308
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.
Medical Scientists pay by experience level in North Carolina
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 North Carolina
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 46 certified offers. The most common variant is Research Associate at a median of $72,000.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research Associate | UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL | 17 | $72,000 |
| Postdoctoral Associate | Duke University | 8 | $66,278 |
| Staff Scientist | Wake Forest University Health Sciences | 6 | $104,902 |
| Research Fellow | National Institutes of Health, HHS | 4 | $75,672 |
| Postdoctoral Scholar | East Carolina University | 4 | $63,762 |
| Postdoctoral Research Associate | UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL | 4 | $66,000 |
| Research Scientist | Duke University | 3 | $105,473 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Medical Scientists in North Carolina, by industry
Median offered wage across 77 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Education leads with a median of $68,435.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education | Duke University | 46 | $68,435 |
| Professional services | National Institutes of Health, HHS | 19 | $110,047 |
| Healthcare | The Charlotte Mecklenburg Hospital Authority d/b/a Atrium Health | 5 | $67,831 |
| Manufacturing | Akebia Therapeutics, Inc. | 5 | $149,513 |
| Technology and software | ArisGlobal, LLC. | 1 | $111,956 |
| Nonprofit and civic | Glioblastoma Foundation Inc. | 1 | $55,224 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in North Carolina over the past 2 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2024 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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Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Medical Scientists in North Carolina?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Medical Scientists in North Carolina is $104,300.
- How does North Carolina compare to the national median for Medical Scientists?
- The North Carolina median is +2.9% versus the BLS national figure of $101,397.
- What is the salary range for Medical Scientists in North Carolina?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $59,260 and the 90th-percentile at $200,100, 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.