Expert Graphic Designer salary in San Francisco, CA
Based on 123 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV 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 | $128,170 |
| 25th | $152,133 |
| 50th (median) | $193,550 |
| 75th | $213,809 |
| 90th | $258,241 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $135,000 | $99,900 | $161,100 | 121 |
| FY2021 | $150,000 | $120,000 | $175,750 | 110 |
| FY2022 | $160,000 | $135,000 | $190,000 | 123 |
| FY2023 | $175,000 | $135,048 | $195,205 | 87 |
| FY2024 | $185,000 | $145,000 | $204,615 | 73 |
| FY2025 | $199,255 | $160,000 | $213,854 | 82 |
| FY2026 | $185,400 | $137,523 | $213,566 | 41 |
Cost of living
San Francisco's median expert Graphic Designer salary of $193,550 is worth about $167,400 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 $193,550, 110% higher.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Meta | $214,360 | 22 |
| $206,000 | 11 | |
| Asana | too few | 5 |
| Ideo | too few | 5 |
| Amazon | too few | 4 |
| Block | too few | 3 |
| Adobe | too few | 2 |
| Airbnb | too few | 2 |
| Atlasnova | too few | 2 |
| Envoy | 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 | $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.