Senior Systems Engineer / Architect salary in San Francisco, CA
Based on 1,018 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Fremont, Menlo Park, Pleasanton, Foster City, Oakland.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $139,589 |
| 25th | $149,700 |
| 50th (median) | $155,049 |
| 75th | $181,293 |
| 90th | $210,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $127,583 | $115,000 | $148,120 | 764 |
| FY2021 | $142,318 | $125,486 | $160,307 | 799 |
| FY2022 | $145,000 | $131,685 | $165,000 | 782 |
| FY2023 | $148,450 | $131,685 | $170,000 | 564 |
| FY2024 | $155,000 | $148,450 | $176,600 | 733 |
| FY2025 | $150,405 | $139,589 | $173,750 | 623 |
| FY2026 | $162,770 | $150,405 | $185,994 | 395 |
Cost of living
San Francisco's median senior Systems Engineer / Architect salary of $155,049 is worth about $134,100 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 $155,049, 4% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Cognizant | $150,405 | 168 |
| Salesforce | $193,300 | 46 |
| Walmart | $150,405 | 38 |
| Meta | $181,467 | 37 |
| Databricks | $166,962 | 35 |
| Infosys | $150,405 | 29 |
| HCLTech | $156,037 | 24 |
| Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory | $173,688 | 24 |
| Amazon | $194,400 | 23 |
| Visa | $139,589 | 22 |
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.