Expert Cost Estimator salary in San Francisco, CA
Based on 29 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Hayward, Concord, Oakland, Richmond, Alameda.
Also listed as: Cost Manager
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $133,773 |
| 25th | $147,000 |
| 50th (median) | $154,500 |
| 75th | $175,000 |
| 90th | $190,400 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $131,000 | $129,800 | $145,000 | 15 |
| FY2021 | – | – | – | 5 |
| FY2022 | – | – | – | 6 |
| FY2023 | $139,571 | $122,916 | $149,950 | 14 |
| FY2024 | $153,606 | $139,686 | $160,000 | 10 |
| FY2025 | $148,000 | $136,862 | $152,250 | 11 |
| FY2026 | $166,148 | $150,600 | $186,000 | 18 |
Cost of living
San Francisco's median expert Cost Estimator salary of $154,500 is worth about $133,600 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Francisco = 115.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Cost Estimators in the San Francisco, CA area earned a median of $101,630 in May 2025 (3,300 employed). The H-1B median here is $154,500, 52% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Turner & Townsend | too few | 9 |
| Crusoe Energy Systems | too few | 5 |
| Cumming Management Group | too few | 2 |
| Gardiner & Theobald | too few | 2 |
| Mace North America | 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 | $80,000 | 13 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $101,400 | 28 |
| Senior · Level III | $120,950 | 28 |
| Expert · Level IV | $154,500 | 29 |
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 | $67,371 | $80,000 | 13 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $89,502 | $101,400 | 28 |
| Senior · Level III | $111,654 | $120,950 | 28 |
| Expert · Level IV | $133,786 | $154,500 | 29 |
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.