Salary distribution
Where Pennsylvania medical scientists fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $78,840 and $130,730, with a median of $99,440.
Medical Scientists in Pennsylvania: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 383 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $73,000. 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 | 240 | $68,964 |
| Level II — qualified | 56 | $88,501 |
| Level III — experienced | 12 | $126,750 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 12 | $159,350 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Medical Scientists in Pennsylvania. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | Research Associate | 116 | $76,430 |
| University of Pittsburgh | Postdoctoral Associate | 109 | $68,894 |
| The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia | Research Associate Scientist | 33 | $72,238 |
| Temple University--A Commonwealth University | Postdoctoral Fellow Research Associate | 25 | $71,448 |
| Thomas Jefferson University | Postdoctoral Fellow (Radiation Oncology) | 14 | $67,391 |
| The Pennsylvania State University | Postdoctoral Scholar | 14 | $68,964 |
| Janssen Research & Development, LLC | Senior Scientist | 11 | $149,865 |
| Institute for Cancer Research | Postdoctoral Associate | 10 | $73,754 |
| Carnegie Mellon University | Postdoctoral Research Associate | 6 | $65,000 |
| Legend Biotech USA, Inc. | Principal Scientist, Immuno- Oncology | 5 | $150,000 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Laboratory Manager at University of Pittsburgh$68,624PittsburghDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-502453
- Research Associate at TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA$78,000PhiladelphiaDecided Dec 29, 2025I-200-25353-497517
- Postdoctoral Fellow Research Associate at Temple University--A Commonwealth University$72,960PhiladelphiaDecided Dec 24, 2025I-200-25351-489742
- Research Associate Scientist at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia$74,672PhiladelphiaDecided Dec 23, 2025I-200-25350-486864
- Postdoctoral Researcher at TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA$70,000PhiladelphiaDecided Dec 22, 2025I-200-25349-482594
- Senior Research Scientist at University of Pittsburgh$98,862PittsburghDecided Dec 22, 2025I-200-25349-483758
- Research Associate at TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA$74,672PhiladelphiaDecided Dec 18, 2025I-200-25345-476062
- Postdoctoral Fellow Research Associate at Temple University--A Commonwealth University$72,960PhiladelphiaDecided Dec 17, 2025I-200-25344-473661
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 Pennsylvania
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 Pennsylvania
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 305 certified offers. The most common variant is Postdoctoral Associate at a median of $64,356.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Postdoctoral Associate | University of Pittsburgh | 59 | $64,356 |
| Research Associate | TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | 54 | $75,000 |
| Research Associate Scientist | University of Pittsburgh | 41 | $72,238 |
| Associate Scientist | Janssen Research & Development, LLC | 32 | $108,190 |
| Research Assistant Professor | University of Pittsburgh | 24 | $80,000 |
| Postdoctoral Researcher | TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | 22 | $67,830 |
| Assistant Professor | University of Pittsburgh | 18 | $127,500 |
| Senior Research Investigator | TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | 16 | $98,907 |
| Research Instructor | University of Pittsburgh | 13 | $72,775 |
| Postdoctoral Fellow Research Associate | Temple University--A Commonwealth University | 11 | $68,411 |
| Postdoctoral Scholar | The Pennsylvania State University | 8 | $68,934 |
| Postdoctoral Research Fellow (Rehabilitation Research) | Thomas Jefferson University | 7 | $62,838 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Medical Scientists in Pennsylvania, by industry
Median offered wage across 383 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Education leads with a median of $72,098.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education | TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | 291 | $72,098 |
| Professional services | Janssen Research & Development, LLC | 41 | $115,190 |
| Healthcare | The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia | 40 | $67,650 |
| Manufacturing | Legend Biotech USA, Inc. | 11 | $115,000 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in Pennsylvania 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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Explore coursesTop metros in Pennsylvania
Metro-level salary data for medical scientists in major Pennsylvania metropolitan areas.
- Philadelphia$100,960
- Pittsburgh$90,280
Compare Medical Scientists pay across nearby states
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Medical Scientists in Pennsylvania?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Medical Scientists in Pennsylvania is $99,440.
- How does Pennsylvania compare to the national median for Medical Scientists?
- The Pennsylvania median is -1.9% versus the BLS national figure of $101,397.
- What is the salary range for Medical Scientists in Pennsylvania?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $61,210 and the 90th-percentile at $178,800, 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.