Entry-level Systems Engineer / Architect salary in San Francisco, CA
Based on 223 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Fremont, Menlo Park, Pleasanton, Foster City, Oakland.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $71,510 |
| 25th | $75,000 |
| 50th (median) | $97,594 |
| 75th | $133,990 |
| 90th | $141,452 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $80,000 | $71,500 | $90,000 | 165 |
| FY2021 | $82,500 | $71,000 | $100,000 | 165 |
| FY2022 | $75,000 | $72,696 | $89,648 | 157 |
| FY2023 | $84,700 | $75,000 | $95,000 | 99 |
| FY2024 | $89,440 | $81,702 | $101,022 | 151 |
| FY2025 | $91,520 | $71,510 | $133,585 | 160 |
| FY2026 | $100,000 | $81,255 | $132,000 | 63 |
Cost of living
San Francisco's median entry-level Systems Engineer / Architect salary of $97,594 is worth about $84,400 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Francisco = 115.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Computer Systems Engineers/Architects in the San Francisco, CA area earned a median of $161,700 in May 2025 (16,930 employed). The H-1B median here is $97,594, 40% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Meta | $139,000 | 40 |
| Criticalriver | too few | 5 |
| Microsoft | too few | 5 |
| Tricopp | too few | 5 |
| Jeeva AI | too few | 4 |
| Redeemsoft | too few | 4 |
| Salesforce | too few | 3 |
| American Portwell Technology | too few | 3 |
| Enterprise Mobility | too few | 3 |
| Flexon Technologies | too few | 3 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $97,594 | 223 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $117,600 | 1,166 |
| Senior · Level III | $155,049 | 1,018 |
| Expert · Level IV | $200,000 | 1,053 |
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 | $71,510 | $97,594 | 223 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $114,795 | $117,600 | 1,166 |
| Senior · Level III | $150,405 | $155,049 | 1,018 |
| Expert · Level IV | $185,994 | $200,000 | 1,053 |
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.