Expert HR Specialist salary in San Francisco, CA
Based on 17 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Fremont, Pleasanton, San Mateo, San Carlos, Berkeley.
Also listed as: Recruiter
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $133,245 |
| 25th | $140,000 |
| 50th (median) | $155,500 |
| 75th | $190,000 |
| 90th | $230,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $122,890 | $107,486 | $135,340 | 14 |
| FY2021 | $133,315 | $125,000 | $161,410 | 15 |
| FY2022 | $142,505 | $123,212 | $172,125 | 16 |
| FY2023 | – | – | – | 7 |
| FY2024 | – | – | – | 6 |
| FY2025 | – | – | – | 4 |
| FY2026 | $161,572 | $140,000 | $200,000 | 13 |
Cost of living
San Francisco's median expert HR Specialist salary of $155,500 is worth about $134,500 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Francisco = 115.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Human Resources Specialists in the San Francisco, CA area earned a median of $103,140 in May 2025 (16,420 employed). The H-1B median here is $155,500, 51% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Uber | too few | 3 |
| Fireworks.ai | 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 | $100,000 | 15 |
| Senior · Level III | $140,000 | 13 |
| Expert · Level IV | $155,500 | 17 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mid-level · Level II | $90,210 | $100,000 | 15 |
| Senior · Level III | $112,486 | $140,000 | 13 |
| Expert · Level IV | $134,742 | $155,500 | 17 |
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.