Graphic Designer salary in San Francisco, CA
Based on 326 certified H-1B filings in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Menlo Park, East Palo Alto, San Bruno, Fremont, San Mateo.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $75,650 |
| 25th | $100,000 |
| 50th (median) | $141,801 |
| 75th | $185,300 |
| 90th | $217,777 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $120,000 | $85,197 | $148,281 | 329 |
| FY2021 | $128,200 | $95,745 | $156,240 | 268 |
| FY2022 | $143,000 | $100,000 | $170,000 | 333 |
| FY2023 | $135,000 | $96,013 | $174,275 | 242 |
| FY2024 | $145,000 | $116,000 | $185,000 | 194 |
| FY2025 | $150,000 | $100,000 | $187,117 | 209 |
| FY2026 | $130,932 | $100,000 | $184,000 | 117 |
Cost of living
San Francisco's median Graphic Designer salary of $141,801 is worth about $122,700 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Francisco = 115.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Graphic Designers in the San Francisco, CA area earned a median of $92,050 in May 2025 (3,870 employed). The H-1B median here is $141,801, 54% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | $169,350 | 28 |
| Meta | $210,000 | 27 |
| $175,000 | 25 | |
| $123,000 | 11 | |
| Ideo | too few | 7 |
| Salesforce | too few | 5 |
| Asana | too few | 5 |
| Visa | too few | 4 |
| Adobe | too few | 4 |
| DreamCraft Entertainment | too few | 4 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $63,188 | 36 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $114,813 | 96 |
| Senior · Level III | $149,750 | 66 |
| Expert · Level IV | $193,550 | 123 |
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 | $56,077 | $63,188 | 36 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $75,650 | $114,813 | 96 |
| Senior · Level III | $95,202 | $149,750 | 66 |
| Expert · Level IV | $114,774 | $193,550 | 123 |
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.