Entry-level Environmental Scientist salary in San Francisco, CA

Based on 16 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Oakland, Livermore, Berkeley, San Ramon, Pleasanton.

Also listed as: Environmental Specialist

Median salary$83,806

Middle 50%$79.5k–$86.8k

vs. all levels here−13%comparison median $96,533

Filings16FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

All levels here

$60k$70k$80k$90k$100k$110k

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $73,347 and $122,944.

Percentile	Salary
10th	$79,270
25th	$79,500
50th (median)	$83,806
75th	$86,800
90th	$88,554

Salary by year

Median salary

Filings per year

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 year	Median	P25	P75	Filings
FY2020	$70,022	$64,611	$73,788	14
FY2021	–	–	–	4
FY2022	–	–	–	8
FY2023	–	–	–	9
FY2024	$81,100	$78,050	$85,287	11
FY2025	–	–	–	6
FY2026	$86,400	$79,500	$87,600	10

Cost of living

San Francisco's median entry-level Environmental Scientist salary of $83,806 is worth about $72,500 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 $83,806, 34% 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
Center for Resource Solutions	too few	7
AECOM Technical Services	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.