Entry-level Biomedical Engineer salary in San Francisco, CA
Based on 21 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Alameda, Berkeley, Pleasanton, South San Francisco, Redwood City.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $93,558 |
| 25th | $94,000 |
| 50th (median) | $103,771 |
| 75th | $103,771 |
| 90th | $105,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | – | – | – | 6 |
| FY2021 | $78,293 | $76,586 | $86,000 | 16 |
| FY2022 | $86,700 | $80,273 | $92,000 | 15 |
| FY2023 | $85,094 | $82,306 | $95,170 | 16 |
| FY2024 | $93,779 | $91,897 | $101,250 | 16 |
| FY2025 | $97,104 | $93,558 | $103,771 | 15 |
| FY2026 | – | – | – | 6 |
Cost of living
San Francisco's median entry-level Biomedical Engineer salary of $103,771 is worth about $89,800 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Francisco = 115.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers in the San Francisco, CA area earned a median of $140,660 in May 2025 (650 employed). The H-1B median here is $103,771, 26% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| BillionToOne | too few | 2 |
| Najafi Pharma | too few | 2 |
| St. Jude Medical, Cardiology Division | too few | 2 |
| VAStek | 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 | $103,771 | 21 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $122,000 | 34 |
| Senior · Level III | $138,889 | 48 |
| Expert · Level IV | $160,353 | 48 |
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 | $93,558 | $103,771 | 21 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $121,264 | $122,000 | 34 |
| Senior · Level III | $138,778 | $138,889 | 48 |
| Expert · Level IV | $156,270 | $160,353 | 48 |
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.