Geoscientist salary in San Francisco, CA
Based on 31 certified H-1B filings in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Berkeley, Oakland, Livermore, Newark, Walnut Creek.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $82,464 |
| 25th | $86,229 |
| 50th (median) | $107,600 |
| 75th | $134,700 |
| 90th | $175,527 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $89,175 | $76,316 | $106,954 | 21 |
| FY2021 | $121,800 | $82,942 | $139,200 | 21 |
| FY2022 | $84,184 | $73,500 | $127,645 | 22 |
| FY2023 | $89,523 | $83,325 | $111,525 | 18 |
| FY2024 | $100,512 | $82,440 | $123,210 | 26 |
| FY2025 | $105,000 | $83,706 | $141,694 | 15 |
| FY2026 | $109,523 | $92,394 | $132,750 | 16 |
Cost of living
San Francisco's median Geoscientist salary of $107,600 is worth about $93,100 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Francisco = 115.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers in the San Francisco, CA area earned a median of $122,310 in May 2025 (430 employed). The H-1B median here is $107,600, 12% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory | $118,228 | 12 |
| University of California, Berkeley | too few | 6 |
| Geosyntec Consultants | too few | 2 |
| Lawrence Livermore National Security | 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 | – | 0 |
| Mid-level · Level II | – | 0 |
| Senior · Level III | too few | 6 |
| Expert · Level IV | – | 0 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.