Expert Biomedical Engineer salary in San Francisco, CA
Based on 48 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV 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 | $150,571 |
| 25th | $156,270 |
| 50th (median) | $160,353 |
| 75th | $175,000 |
| 90th | $206,285 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $134,550 | $113,963 | $147,500 | 35 |
| FY2021 | $150,414 | $141,294 | $159,707 | 30 |
| FY2022 | $150,000 | $144,227 | $162,274 | 36 |
| FY2023 | $150,630 | $145,000 | $165,627 | 35 |
| FY2024 | $157,669 | $149,500 | $180,450 | 39 |
| FY2025 | $156,270 | $150,571 | $160,048 | 20 |
| FY2026 | $170,000 | $160,000 | $187,581 | 28 |
Cost of living
San Francisco's median expert Biomedical Engineer salary of $160,353 is worth about $138,700 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 $160,353, 14% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 10x Genomics | too few | 6 |
| Labs for Humanity | too few | 6 |
| StimScience | too few | 3 |
| Ge Precision Healthcare | too few | 2 |
| Gilead Sciences | too few | 2 |
| GraphWear Technologies | too few | 2 |
| Insight Rx | too few | 2 |
| Noah Medical | too few | 2 |
| Stryker | too few | 2 |
| Twist Bioscience | 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.