U.S. Immigration Data

Priority dates, work visas, and labor market data

Principal Scientist

H-1B & Green Card Salary Data and Market Analysis

Only 76 filings match this exact title. Browse all salary records for “scientist” roles instead.
Search scientist salaries →

76

Total Filings

All time (charts below use selected years)

$133,131

Median Salary

Across filings in selected period

15

Top Employers

Hiring This Role
Salary Distribution (All Employers + Top Employer Overlays)
10th Percentile

$79,500

25th Percentile

$103,491

Median (50th)

$133,131

75th Percentile

$156,875

90th Percentile

$180,037

See all H-1B/PERM filings for this role →

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Top Employers Hiring Principal Scientist
Employer Filings Median Salary Salary Range Approval Rate
Carmine Therapeutics, Inc. 2 $138,720 $127,440 - $150,000 100.0%
LEICA MICROSYSTEMS, INCORPORATED 2 $151,000 $127,000 - $175,000 50.0%
10X Genomics, Inc. 2 $185,000 $170,000 - $200,000 100.0%
AstraZeneca Pharmacetuicals LP 1 $186,310 $186,310 - $186,310 100.0%
Berry Global, Inc. 1 $102,856 $102,856 - $102,856 100.0%
BIOAGILYTIX LABS LLC 1 $88,500 $88,500 - $88,500 100.0%
Boston Scientific Corporation 1 $61,589 $61,589 - $61,589 100.0%
BRISTOL-MYERS SQUIBB COMPANY 1 $129,058 $129,058 - $129,058 100.0%
CEPHEID 1 $180,370 $180,370 - $180,370 100.0%
Charles River Laboratories, Inc. 1 $94,691 $94,691 - $94,691 100.0%
Combangio, Inc. 1 $157,500 $157,500 - $157,500 100.0%
Covidien LP 1 $133,869 $133,869 - $133,869 100.0%
ELC Beauty LLC 1 $97,323 $97,323 - $97,323 100.0%
Eli Lilly and Company 1 $119,524 $119,524 - $119,524 100.0%
EUROFINS LANCASTER LABORATORIES, INC. 1 $70,000 $70,000 - $70,000 100.0%
Salary Distribution by Experience Level
Experience Level Filings Median Salary Salary Range
Principal 50 $133,131 $53,000 - $225,000
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Geographic Distribution
Based on 50 filings in selected period (charts use selected years, not all-time total)
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Median Salary by State
Based on selected period (same 50 filings as above)
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Top Metro Areas
City State Filings Median Salary
Cambridge MA 5 $160,000
Waltham MA 3 $127,000
Boston MA 2 $170,000
South San Francisco CA 2 $152,211
Pleasanton CA 2 $185,000
Redwood City CA 2 $145,000
Durham NC 1 $88,500
Des Plaines IL 1 $75,000
Hoboken NJ 1 $80,000
Chicago IL 1 $141,479
Related Roles & Career Progression

These roles are variations of Principal Scientist with different seniority levels.

Role Experience Level Filings Avg Salary
Principal Scientist 75 $126,620
Principal Scientist/Apiologist 1 $123,523
Filing Volume Trend
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Median Salary Trend
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Year-over-Year Statistics
Fiscal Year Filings Median Salary Approval Rate
2021 9 $105,394 100.0%
2022 5 $150,000 80.0%
2023 6 $147,500 83.3%
2024 11 $127,000 100.0%
2025 5 $129,058 80.0%
2026 14 $134,056 64.3%
Company Comparison - Principal Scientist

Compare how top companies pay for this role.

Company Filings Median Salary Approval Rate
Carmine Therapeutics, Inc. 2 $138,720 100.0%
LEICA MICROSYSTEMS, INCORPORATED 2 $151,000 50.0%
10X Genomics, Inc. 2 $185,000 100.0%
AstraZeneca Pharmacetuicals LP 1 $186,310 100.0%
Berry Global, Inc. 1 $102,856 100.0%
Data Source: U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) H-1B and green card (PERM) disclosure data. Data shown for fiscal years 2021 to present. Last updated: August 31, 2026

Note on Salary Data: For data quality, we exclude salaries below $30,000 (likely data entry errors) and above $1,000,000 (lacking automated validation for ultra-high compensation packages). This may affect statistics for some executive and specialized positions.