Salary distribution
Where Washington medical scientists fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $78,390 and $131,290, with a median of $101,140.
Medical Scientists in Washington: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 78 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $82,773. 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 | 16 | $76,722 |
| Level II — qualified | 28 | $82,500 |
| Level III — experienced | 7 | $122,596 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 3 | $182,212 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Medical Scientists in Washington. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Washington | Postdoctoral Scholar | 30 | $77,910 |
| Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center | Postdoctoral Research Fellow | 14 | $87,500 |
| Bloodworks Northwest | Principal Investigator: Assistant Research Member | 5 | $78,312 |
| Benaroya Research Institute | Staff Scientist | 4 | $87,598 |
| Bristol-Myers Squibb Company | Associate Director | 4 | $175,182 |
| Swedish Health Services | Physician, Resident Podiatric Surgery | 4 | $64,199 |
| SEATTLE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL | Fellow - PhD, Research | 3 | $69,243 |
| AVM Biotechnology Inc | Research Scientist | 1 | $76,000 |
| Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC | Senior Medical Science Liaison (MSL) | 1 | $200,000 |
| Gates Foundation | Director, Disease Research & Delivery | 1 | $400,900 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Fellow - PhD, Research at SEATTLE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL$77,969SeattleDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25357-504401
- Principal Investigator: Assistant Research Member at Bloodworks Northwest$126,371SeattleDecided Dec 19, 2025I-200-25346-480158
- Research Scientist at AVM Biotechnology Inc$76,000SeattleDecided Dec 8, 2025I-200-25335-447008
- Acting Instructor at University of Washington$87,564SeattleDecided Dec 2, 2025I-200-25328-434741
- Staff Scientist at Benaroya Research Institute$90,187SeattleDecided Nov 17, 2025I-200-25312-390456
- Research Scientist/Engineer 2 at University of Washington$77,976SeattleDecided Nov 14, 2025I-200-25310-383369
- Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center$77,976SeattleDecided Nov 14, 2025I-200-25310-385529
- Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center$90,500SeattleDecided Nov 14, 2025I-200-25310-385304
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 Washington
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 Washington
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 54 certified offers. The most common variant is Postdoctoral Scholar at a median of $69,829.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Postdoctoral Scholar | University of Washington | 13 | $69,829 |
| Acting Instructor | University of Washington | 11 | $85,008 |
| Staff Scientist | Benaroya Research Institute | 8 | $110,400 |
| Postdoctoral Research Fellow | Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center | 7 | $77,976 |
| Research Scientist | SEATTLE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL | 3 | $69,243 |
| Associate Director | Bristol-Myers Squibb Company | 3 | $182,212 |
| Assistant Professor | Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center | 3 | $216,921 |
| Research Assistant Professor | University of Washington | 3 | $85,200 |
| Physician, Resident Podiatric Surgery | Swedish Health Services | 3 | $59,155 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Medical Scientists in Washington, by industry
Median offered wage across 78 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Education leads with a median of $77,910.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education | University of Washington | 32 | $77,910 |
| Healthcare | Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center | 27 | $77,976 |
| Professional services | Benaroya Research Institute | 10 | $91,945 |
| Manufacturing | Bristol-Myers Squibb Company | 8 | $168,323 |
| Nonprofit and civic | Gates Foundation | 1 | $400,900 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in Washington 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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Metro-level salary data for medical scientists in major Washington metropolitan areas.
- Seattle$101,500
Compare Medical Scientists pay across nearby states
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Medical Scientists in Washington?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Medical Scientists in Washington is $101,140.
- How does Washington compare to the national median for Medical Scientists?
- The Washington median is -0.3% versus the BLS national figure of $101,397.
- What is the salary range for Medical Scientists in Washington?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $63,880 and the 90th-percentile at $163,610, 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.