Mid-level Data Engineer salary in San Francisco, CA

Based on 108 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level II 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

Median salary$157,350
Middle 50%$147k–$175.1k
vs. all levels here−17%comparison median $190,140
Filings108FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $143,790 and $224,650.
PercentileSalary
10th$143,790
25th$147,000
50th (median)$157,350
75th$175,105
90th$191,050

Salary by year

Median salary

$80k $135k $190k FY2020: median $95,555 (17 filings) FY2021: median $120,931 (23 filings) FY2022: median $123,906 (46 filings) FY2023: median $137,058 (61 filings) FY2024: median $148,658 (62 filings) FY2025: median $151,070 (73 filings) FY2026: median $172,000 (35 filings) FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26

Filings per year

FY2020: 17 filings FY20 FY2021: 23 filings FY21 FY2022: 46 filings FY22 FY2023: 61 filings FY23 FY2024: 62 filings FY24 FY2025: 73 filings FY25 FY2026: 35 filings FY26 73
Shaded: FY2025–FY2026, the years behind the figures above. Median shown for years with at least 10 filings. FY2026 covers Q1–Q3 only.
Show as table
Fiscal yearMedianP25P75Filings
FY2020$95,555$92,560$119,40017
FY2021$120,931$103,000$130,42023
FY2022$123,906$116,250$140,00046
FY2023$137,058$125,000$158,08061
FY2024$148,658$136,011$159,71062
FY2025$151,070$143,790$170,00073
FY2026$172,000$151,070$181,85835

Cost of living

San Francisco's median mid-level Data Engineer salary of $157,350 is worth about $136,100 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 $157,350, 11% 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

EmployerMedianFilings
Meta$179,00221
Visatoo few5
Amazontoo few3
Salesforcetoo few2
Chime Financialtoo few2
Cloud Destinationstoo few2
GPS IT Solutionstoo few2
I-Link Solutionstoo few2
NextPhase.aitoo few2
Robinhood Marketstoo few2

Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.

By experience level

Wage levelMedianFilings
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 levelPrevailing wage (most common)Median offered salaryFilings
Entry-level · Level I$124,488$130,70028
Mid-level · Level II$143,790$157,350108
Senior · Level III$177,632$188,916126
Expert · Level IV$204,214$219,010162

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.