Entry-level Data Engineer salary in San Francisco, CA
Based on 28 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Menlo Park, Fremont, Foster City, San Mateo, San Ramon.
Also listed as: Database Architect, Data Architect
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $124,488 |
| 25th | $124,872 |
| 50th (median) | $130,700 |
| 75th | $152,400 |
| 90th | $199,507 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | – | – | – | 1 |
| FY2021 | – | – | – | 3 |
| FY2022 | – | – | – | 5 |
| FY2023 | $101,843 | $91,500 | $141,650 | 14 |
| FY2024 | $110,268 | $105,685 | $125,000 | 11 |
| FY2025 | $129,400 | $124,488 | $140,000 | 13 |
| FY2026 | $132,000 | $125,000 | $170,088 | 15 |
Cost of living
San Francisco's median entry-level Data Engineer salary of $130,700 is worth about $113,000 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Francisco = 115.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Database Architects in the San Francisco, CA area earned a median of $175,860 in May 2025 (1,600 employed). The H-1B median here is $130,700, 26% 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 | too few | 7 |
| NextPhase.ai | too few | 3 |
| Neuramill | 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 | $130,700 | 28 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $157,350 | 108 |
| Senior · Level III | $188,916 | 126 |
| Expert · Level IV | $219,010 | 162 |
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 | $124,488 | $130,700 | 28 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $143,790 | $157,350 | 108 |
| Senior · Level III | $177,632 | $188,916 | 126 |
| Expert · Level IV | $204,214 | $219,010 | 162 |
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.