Expert Biochemist salary in San Francisco, CA
Based on 25 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes South San Francisco, Berkeley, Foster City, San Carlos, Pleasanton.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $161,570 |
| 25th | $168,000 |
| 50th (median) | $175,000 |
| 75th | $180,000 |
| 90th | $196,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $99,700 | $89,150 | $151,606 | 11 |
| FY2021 | – | – | – | 5 |
| FY2022 | $152,672 | $152,672 | $160,000 | 19 |
| FY2023 | $153,500 | $148,244 | $164,430 | 18 |
| FY2024 | $161,392 | $155,000 | $165,000 | 14 |
| FY2025 | $168,219 | $164,250 | $177,598 | 16 |
| FY2026 | – | – | – | 9 |
Cost of living
San Francisco's median expert Biochemist salary of $175,000 is worth about $151,400 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Francisco = 115.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Biochemists and Biophysicists in the San Francisco, CA area earned a median of $165,050 in May 2025 (1,380 employed). The H-1B median here is $175,000, 6% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Vaxcyte | too few | 4 |
| Nurix Therapeutics | too few | 3 |
| AbbVie | too few | 2 |
| Chronus Health | too few | 2 |
| Roche Sequencing Solutions | 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 | $99,306 | 52 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $115,357 | 125 |
| Senior · Level III | $141,898 | 70 |
| Expert · Level IV | $175,000 | 25 |
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 | $88,670 | $99,306 | 52 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $112,882 | $115,357 | 125 |
| Senior · Level III | $137,072 | $141,898 | 70 |
| Expert · Level IV | $168,438 | $175,000 | 25 |
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.