Senior Architect salary in San Francisco, CA
Based on 12 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Oakland, Alameda, Fremont, Emeryville, Berkeley.
Also listed as: Project Architect, Architect Non Licensed
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $136,559 |
| 25th | $138,770 |
| 50th (median) | $139,360 |
| 75th | $142,435 |
| 90th | $149,800 |
Cost of living
San Francisco's median senior Architect salary of $139,360 is worth about $120,500 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Francisco = 115.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Architects, Except Landscape and Naval in the San Francisco, CA area earned a median of $126,550 in May 2025 (3,780 employed). The H-1B median here is $139,360, 10% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Cottage Technologies | too few | 2 |
| Rh | 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 | $85,696 | 133 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $111,114 | 31 |
| Senior · Level III | $139,360 | 12 |
| Expert · Level IV | – | 0 |
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 | $79,768 | $85,696 | 133 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $109,554 | $111,114 | 31 |
| Senior · Level III | $139,360 | $139,360 | 12 |
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.