Compare
Research Scientist vs Applied Scientist H-1B salaries
The median certified H-1B salary was $153,727 at Research Scientist and $178,977 at Applied Scientist: Applied Scientist paid 16% more. From filings received Jan 2023 to Jun 2026.
Compare with something else
| Research Scientist | Applied Scientist |
|---|
| Certified filings | 5,529 | 236 |
| Median salary | $153,727 | $178,977 |
| Middle half | $79,989 to $196,190 | $158,416 to $209,521 |
| Top 10% earn over | $224,000 | $240,000 |
| Above prevailing wage | +17% | +6% |
| Median at Level I | $75,000 | $135,000 |
| Median at Level II | $170,186 | $174,304 |
| Median at Level III | $152,440 | $185,723 |
| Median at Level IV | $214,032 | $212,500 |
| Most filings for | Meta Platforms, Inc | Oracle America, Inc. |
Same employers, both sides
| Employer | Research Scientist | Applied Scientist |
|---|
| Adobe Inc. (4 / 38) | $192,500 | $192,948 |
Median salary where both have at least 3 filings; the number of filings is in brackets.
Same cities
| City | Research Scientist | Applied Scientist |
|---|
| New York, NY | $185,723 | $171,020 |
| Sunnyvale, CA | $200,000 | $205,000 |
| Seattle, WA | $180,184 | $164,576 |
| Santa Clara, CA | $168,790 | $264,000 |
| San Jose, CA | $235,000 | $181,302 |
| San Francisco, CA | $203,500 | $170,000 |
| Palo Alto, CA | $191,922 | $240,000 |
| Chicago, IL | $75,629 | $141,000 |
By year
| Year filed | Research Scientist | Applied Scientist |
|---|
| 2023 | $77,830 | $170,000 |
| 2024 | $130,000 | $165,505 |
| 2025 | $135,056 | $185,000 |
| 2026 | $186,200 | $194,000 |