Environmental Scientist salary in San Francisco, CA
Based on 50 certified H-1B filings in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Oakland, Livermore, Berkeley, San Ramon, Pleasanton.
Also listed as: Environmental Specialist
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $79,500 |
| 25th | $83,153 |
| 50th (median) | $96,533 |
| 75th | $122,374 |
| 90th | $163,152 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $73,575 | $64,959 | $88,619 | 26 |
| FY2021 | $109,590 | $75,000 | $131,061 | 20 |
| FY2022 | $91,104 | $84,200 | $99,000 | 21 |
| FY2023 | $94,160 | $88,598 | $100,000 | 34 |
| FY2024 | $86,774 | $81,100 | $115,970 | 22 |
| FY2025 | $96,770 | $83,153 | $137,325 | 26 |
| FY2026 | $89,100 | $85,188 | $108,263 | 24 |
Cost of living
San Francisco's median Environmental Scientist salary of $96,533 is worth about $83,500 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Francisco = 115.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health in the San Francisco, CA area earned a median of $127,210 in May 2025 (1,320 employed). The H-1B median here is $96,533, 24% lower.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Center for Resource Solutions | too few | 7 |
| The International Council on Clean Transportation | too few | 6 |
| Trinity Consultants | too few | 5 |
| Lawrence Livermore National Security | too few | 4 |
| Energy and Environmental Economics | too few | 3 |
| University of California, Berkeley | too few | 3 |
| AECOM Technical Services | too few | 2 |
| California Department of Transportation | too few | 2 |
| Watershed Technology | 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 | $83,806 | 16 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $102,160 | 16 |
| Senior · Level III | too few | 3 |
| Expert · Level IV | too few | 2 |
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 | $73,715 | $83,806 | 16 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $96,533 | $102,160 | 16 |
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.