Mid-level Systems Engineer / Architect salary in San Francisco, CA
Based on 1,166 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level II in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Fremont, Menlo Park, Pleasanton, Foster City, Oakland.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $105,560 |
| 25th | $110,000 |
| 50th (median) | $117,600 |
| 75th | $140,000 |
| 90th | $163,527 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $95,555 | $92,560 | $110,000 | 1,136 |
| FY2021 | $100,000 | $95,555 | $121,000 | 1,072 |
| FY2022 | $101,000 | $99,091 | $123,050 | 987 |
| FY2023 | $115,066 | $100,984 | $129,000 | 783 |
| FY2024 | $116,000 | $115,066 | $138,000 | 796 |
| FY2025 | $114,795 | $105,560 | $137,912 | 693 |
| FY2026 | $130,000 | $114,795 | $142,200 | 473 |
Cost of living
San Francisco's median mid-level Systems Engineer / Architect salary of $117,600 is worth about $101,700 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 $117,600, 27% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Infosys | $114,795 | 74 |
| Databricks | $139,722 | 70 |
| Tata Consultancy Services | $105,560 | 68 |
| Cognizant | $105,560 | 55 |
| Visa | $117,600 | 31 |
| Meta | $167,792 | 25 |
| $186,000 | 19 | |
| HCLTech | $125,986 | 19 |
| ZS Associates | $141,850 | 18 |
| Compunnel Software Group | $106,000 | 17 |
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.