Expert Systems Engineer / Architect salary in San Francisco, CA
Based on 1,053 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Fremont, Menlo Park, Pleasanton, Foster City, Oakland.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $173,638 |
| 25th | $185,994 |
| 50th (median) | $200,000 |
| 75th | $230,000 |
| 90th | $262,858 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $160,000 | $140,000 | $180,000 | 779 |
| FY2021 | $168,000 | $151,882 | $190,000 | 874 |
| FY2022 | $177,038 | $160,481 | $203,380 | 906 |
| FY2023 | $185,000 | $165,700 | $218,000 | 565 |
| FY2024 | $200,000 | $181,813 | $223,733 | 714 |
| FY2025 | $196,000 | $173,638 | $230,000 | 610 |
| FY2026 | $205,499 | $185,994 | $231,000 | 443 |
Cost of living
San Francisco's median expert Systems Engineer / Architect salary of $200,000 is worth about $173,000 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 $200,000, 24% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Meta | $238,436 | 164 |
| Visa | $173,638 | 72 |
| Cognizant | $173,638 | 46 |
| Salesforce | $250,000 | 35 |
| Accenture | $186,497 | 22 |
| DocuSign | $203,500 | 21 |
| Amazon | $202,300 | 20 |
| Autodesk | $185,994 | 20 |
| DoorDash | $201,323 | 20 |
| OpenAI OpCo | $280,000 | 16 |
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.