Entry-level Economist salary in San Francisco, CA
Based on 47 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I 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 | $88,400 |
| 25th | $93,988 |
| 50th (median) | $103,164 |
| 75th | $118,650 |
| 90th | $180,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $80,000 | $74,750 | $85,000 | 18 |
| FY2021 | $85,000 | $83,907 | $89,981 | 13 |
| FY2022 | $90,000 | $89,991 | $107,500 | 23 |
| FY2023 | $97,240 | $96,055 | $100,842 | 16 |
| FY2024 | $92,500 | $90,264 | $97,000 | 13 |
| FY2025 | $97,500 | $92,738 | $113,478 | 35 |
| FY2026 | $145,860 | $113,750 | $180,000 | 12 |
Cost of living
San Francisco's median entry-level Economist salary of $103,164 is worth about $89,200 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 $103,164, 28% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Analysis Group | $110,000 | 10 |
| The Brattle Group | $113,478 | 10 |
| CRA International | too few | 4 |
| Avantus | too few | 3 |
| OpenAI OpCo | too few | 2 |
| University of California, Berkeley | 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 | $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.