Senior Accountant salary in San Francisco, CA
Based on 210 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III 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 | $119,662 |
| 25th | $130,000 |
| 50th (median) | $145,220 |
| 75th | $162,700 |
| 90th | $190,852 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $110,200 | $98,000 | $125,000 | 123 |
| FY2021 | $110,000 | $101,088 | $125,781 | 120 |
| FY2022 | $127,250 | $110,000 | $142,287 | 147 |
| FY2023 | $133,440 | $120,000 | $155,000 | 128 |
| FY2024 | $150,000 | $130,000 | $171,000 | 137 |
| FY2025 | $146,410 | $130,000 | $169,263 | 135 |
| FY2026 | $141,000 | $126,669 | $158,156 | 75 |
Cost of living
San Francisco's median senior Accountant salary of $145,220 is worth about $125,600 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 $145,220, 31% 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 | $160,716 | 95 |
| Bdo | too few | 9 |
| Grant Thornton Advisors | too few | 7 |
| Kpmg | too few | 6 |
| PwC US Tax | too few | 5 |
| PwC | too few | 3 |
| Autodesk | too few | 3 |
| Bank of the Orient | too few | 3 |
| Snowflake | too few | 3 |
| Goldman Sachs | too few | 2 |
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.