Senior Biochemist salary in San Francisco, CA
Based on 70 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III 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 | $122,083 |
| 25th | $137,072 |
| 50th (median) | $141,898 |
| 75th | $154,138 |
| 90th | $165,279 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $115,066 | $115,066 | $124,703 | 47 |
| FY2021 | $128,752 | $124,405 | $136,244 | 43 |
| FY2022 | $129,355 | $128,752 | $143,500 | 44 |
| FY2023 | $135,000 | $129,839 | $146,584 | 36 |
| FY2024 | $140,000 | $130,960 | $151,900 | 41 |
| FY2025 | $140,000 | $137,072 | $150,000 | 45 |
| FY2026 | $146,000 | $141,898 | $159,895 | 25 |
Cost of living
San Francisco's median senior Biochemist salary of $141,898 is worth about $122,700 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 $141,898, 14% lower.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Gilead Sciences | $137,072 | 12 |
| Nurix Therapeutics | too few | 5 |
| 10x Genomics | too few | 4 |
| Pacific Biosciences of California | too few | 4 |
| Vaxcyte | too few | 4 |
| Vitalant | too few | 4 |
| Revolution Medicines | too few | 3 |
| AbbVie | too few | 2 |
| Amgen | too few | 2 |
| Eli Lilly and Company | 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.