Drug Discovery AI Researcher.
Washington DC.
$269,000
median salary, 25% above the national average
$210,000 to $350,000. Last updated August 2026.
Get the job.
Data points to own the conversation.
If you are evaluating a Drug Discovery AI Researcher offer in Washington DC, DC, here is the reality: $210,000 to $350,000, with $269,000 as the midpoint. 25% above the national average. The gap between theoretical knowledge and production deployment experience is the single largest salary differentiator. Do not accept the first number. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page.
Salary range.
Where do you fall?
Orbyt estimate for Drug Discovery AI Researcher in Washington DC, modelled from national occupation wages adjusted for local cost of living. The published government benchmark for this occupation is below.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $107,110 for Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists (SOC 19-1042) in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metropolitan area, based on 5,980 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$77,120
25th percentile
$83,500
Median
$107,110
75th percentile
$142,540
90th percentile
$188,070
Workers surveyed
5,980
Why this differs from the estimate above. The Orbyt estimate of $269,000 is 151% higher than this published figure. That is usually not an error in either number: BLS reports by occupation code, and Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists covers a different population than the Drug Discovery AI Researcher title as it is typically advertised. Both are shown, unreconciled, so you can judge which one describes the job you mean.
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists (SOC 19-1042) rather than Drug Discovery AI Researcher specifically. The Washington DC range at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such.
View the BLS source for SOC 19-1042Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $242,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$175,000
to $215,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$229,000
to $282,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$296,000
to $350,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$336,000
to $417,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $59,000 to the total package.
Base
$269,000
Equity
$32,000
Bonus
$22,000
Signing
$5,000
Estimated total: $328,000
How Washington DC compares.
Washington DC, DC
$269,000
Cost of living: 25% above average
National Average
$215,000
Washington DC is $54,000 above
Drug Discovery AI Researcher salary by city.
Salary by role in Washington DC.
What you should know.
Here is what the Drug Discovery AI Researcher market actually looks like in Washington DC. Washington DC's job market is shaped by the federal government, defense contractors, and a growing commercial tech sector. Cybersecurity, cloud computing, and consulting firms drive demand for cleared professionals. The region's stability, combined with high government pay scales, creates a salary floor that pulls private sector compensation upward. The gap between theoretical knowledge and production deployment experience is the single largest salary differentiator. Drug Discovery AI Researchers who can optimize inference costs, reduce model latency, and handle scale reliably earn significantly more. Published research or open source contributions to widely adopted frameworks create additional leverage in negotiations.
Entry-level Drug Discovery AI Researchers start near $168,000. Mid-career professionals with three to five years of experience reach $215,000 to $280,000. Senior-level roles command $275,000 to $333,000. Management transitions to director-level positions offer $355,000 and above. In Washington DC, those numbers run higher. The cost of living here is 25% above average, and employers adjust to compete.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity at top-tier companies adds 30% to 60% above base salary. Annual bonuses of 15% to 25% are standard. Signing bonuses of $25,000 to $75,000 are common when changing roles. Refresher equity grants vest annually. Relocation packages and executive benefits like financial planning are typical. And on the tax side: dC income tax rates reach 10.75% for high earners. Maryland and Virginia residents working in DC face their own state taxes. Choose your residence jurisdiction carefully to optimize net pay. When someone quotes you $269,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: A security clearance is your strongest negotiation asset. Cleared professionals in DC command 20 to 30% premiums, and transferring your clearance to a new employer saves them significant time and cost. The range for Drug Discovery AI Researchers in Washington DC runs from $210,000 to $350,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: BLS OES, H-1B LCA (DOL). COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified July 1, 2026. Full methodology
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Common questions.
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Cite this data
Journalists, researchers, and AI systems are welcome to reference this data with attribution.
"Drug Discovery AI Researcher Salary in Washington DC, DC." Orbyt Salary Explorer, August 2026. https://www.orbytlabs.ai/orbyt-jobs/salaries/drug-discovery-ai-researcher/washington-dc
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