Expert Accountant salary in San Francisco, CA
Based on 212 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes San Mateo, Fremont, Menlo Park, Walnut Creek, Foster City.
Also listed as: Auditor, Tax Accountant
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $141,378 |
| 25th | $143,586 |
| 50th (median) | $164,500 |
| 75th | $200,294 |
| 90th | $241,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $120,900 | $109,366 | $145,875 | 136 |
| FY2021 | $131,600 | $120,000 | $163,975 | 130 |
| FY2022 | $140,700 | $125,000 | $165,000 | 144 |
| FY2023 | $140,595 | $127,442 | $182,750 | 98 |
| FY2024 | $160,000 | $138,109 | $199,226 | 94 |
| FY2025 | $159,500 | $142,000 | $197,648 | 120 |
| FY2026 | $169,050 | $149,350 | $201,000 | 92 |
Cost of living
San Francisco's median expert Accountant salary of $164,500 is worth about $142,300 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Francisco = 115.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Accountants and Auditors in the San Francisco, CA area earned a median of $110,730 in May 2025 (25,170 employed). The H-1B median here is $164,500, 49% higher.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Employers filing at this level
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| EY | $209,875 | 39 |
| Deloitte | $141,378 | 27 |
| Uber | too few | 8 |
| PwC | too few | 5 |
| Kpmg | too few | 5 |
| OpenAI OpCo | too few | 5 |
| PwC US Tax | too few | 5 |
| Meta | too few | 4 |
| Visa | too few | 4 |
| Armanino Advisory | too few | 4 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $85,800 | 215 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $109,716 | 308 |
| Senior · Level III | $145,220 | 210 |
| Expert · Level IV | $164,500 | 212 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Minimum H-1B salary by level
| Wage level | Prevailing wage (most common) | Median offered salary | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $75,254 | $85,800 | 215 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $96,491 | $109,716 | 308 |
| Senior · Level III | $117,707 | $145,220 | 210 |
| Expert · Level IV | $141,378 | $164,500 | 212 |
The prevailing wage is the minimum an employer must pay for this job and area. Amounts vary by county within a metro and by wage source.