Economist salary in San Francisco, CA
Based on 137 certified H-1B filings in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Oakland, Menlo Park, Berkeley, Foster City, South San Francisco.
Also listed as: Research Economist, Associate Economist
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $95,000 |
| 25th | $116,316 |
| 50th (median) | $155,000 |
| 75th | $200,000 |
| 90th | $240,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $120,000 | $86,000 | $166,834 | 76 |
| FY2021 | $147,372 | $105,000 | $180,000 | 65 |
| FY2022 | $129,803 | $102,039 | $175,000 | 82 |
| FY2023 | $144,000 | $98,620 | $197,157 | 43 |
| FY2024 | $148,150 | $96,814 | $182,440 | 44 |
| FY2025 | $133,000 | $100,791 | $173,842 | 86 |
| FY2026 | $180,000 | $151,829 | $240,000 | 51 |
Cost of living
San Francisco's median Economist salary of $155,000 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 Economists in the San Francisco, CA area earned a median of $142,400 in May 2025 (200 employed). The H-1B median here is $155,000, 9% higher.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Top employers filing
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| CRA International | $220,000 | 15 |
| Analysis Group | $129,329 | 14 |
| Cornerstone Research | $218,750 | 14 |
| The Brattle Group | $116,316 | 13 |
| Amazon | too few | 7 |
| Econic Partners | too few | 5 |
| Salesforce | too few | 3 |
| Avantus | too few | 3 |
| OpenAI OpCo | too few | 3 |
| University of California, Berkeley | too few | 3 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $103,164 | 47 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $160,000 | 49 |
| Senior · Level III | $184,782 | 24 |
| Expert · Level IV | $210,000 | 15 |
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 | $88,400 | $103,164 | 47 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $118,310 | $160,000 | 49 |
| Senior · Level III | $148,658 | $184,782 | 24 |
| Expert · Level IV | $179,795 | $210,000 | 15 |
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.