Mid-level Backend Developer salary in San Francisco, CA
Based on 44 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level II in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes San Mateo, South San Francisco, Fremont, Redwood City, Pleasanton.
Median salary$170,000
Middle 50%$161.6k–$185.7k
vs. all levels here−11%comparison median $190,000
Filings44FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years
Salary range
All levels here
$150k$160k$170k$180k$190k$200k$210k$220k$230k$240k
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $160,000 |
| 25th | $161,637 |
| 50th (median) | $170,000 |
| 75th | $185,685 |
| 90th | $220,500 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $125,000 | $119,122 | $140,000 | 38 |
| FY2021 | $130,894 | $121,763 | $147,500 | 47 |
| FY2022 | $141,500 | $129,830 | $160,550 | 40 |
| FY2023 | $147,368 | $141,534 | $166,830 | 30 |
| FY2024 | $162,493 | $149,000 | $184,662 | 33 |
| FY2025 | $170,000 | $160,000 | $176,550 | 21 |
| FY2026 | $170,000 | $166,500 | $190,700 | 23 |
Cost of living
San Francisco's median mid-level Backend Developer salary of $170,000 is worth about $147,000 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Francisco = 115.6).
Employers filing at this level
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Stripe | too few | 5 |
| Included Health | too few | 3 |
| Ramp Business | too few | 3 |
| Motive Technologies | too few | 2 |
| Plaud | too few | 2 |
| Ridecell | too few | 2 |
| Unit21 | 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 | $135,700 | 33 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $170,000 | 44 |
| Senior · Level III | $199,000 | 58 |
| Expert · Level IV | $225,000 | 49 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.