Biological Technician salary in San Francisco, CA
Based on 41 certified H-1B filings in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Berkeley, Redwood City, Foster City, South San Francisco, Novato.
Also listed as: Research Associate (Biology)
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $55,786 |
| 25th | $68,661 |
| 50th (median) | $75,774 |
| 75th | $81,557 |
| 90th | $100,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $70,000 | $57,161 | $76,718 | 15 |
| FY2021 | $62,000 | $53,560 | $72,000 | 17 |
| FY2022 | $80,000 | $63,050 | $90,000 | 18 |
| FY2023 | $62,203 | $58,551 | $72,500 | 12 |
| FY2024 | $83,200 | $72,000 | $92,000 | 17 |
| FY2025 | $75,774 | $63,731 | $77,020 | 20 |
| FY2026 | $81,557 | $68,661 | $94,432 | 21 |
Cost of living
San Francisco's median Biological Technician salary of $75,774 is worth about $65,500 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Francisco = 115.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Biological Technicians in the San Francisco, CA area earned a median of $95,220 in May 2025 (2,690 employed). The H-1B median here is $75,774, 20% lower.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Top employers filing
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Eurofins Professional Scientific Services West | too few | 5 |
| Adjuvia Therapeutics | too few | 3 |
| BioMarin Pharmaceutical | too few | 2 |
| Eurofins Lancaster Laboratories Professional Scientific Services | too few | 2 |
| MedGenome | too few | 2 |
| Mission Bio | too few | 2 |
| Natera | too few | 2 |
| Ultima Genomics | too few | 2 |
| Vitalant | 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 | – | 0 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $69,331 | 16 |
| Senior · Level III | too few | 2 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mid-level · Level II | $68,661 | $69,331 | 16 |
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.