Lawyer salary in San Francisco, CA
Based on 243 certified H-1B filings in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Redwood City, Menlo Park, Redwood Shores, Oakland, Foster City.
Also listed as: Attorney, Associate Lawyer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $130,000 |
| 25th | $190,000 |
| 50th (median) | $225,000 |
| 75th | $310,000 |
| 90th | $390,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $183,082 | $139,813 | $200,793 | 92 |
| FY2021 | $192,500 | $150,125 | $233,938 | 114 |
| FY2022 | $215,000 | $191,587 | $250,000 | 115 |
| FY2023 | $215,000 | $183,851 | $295,000 | 85 |
| FY2024 | $225,000 | $178,360 | $274,480 | 132 |
| FY2025 | $225,000 | $178,360 | $310,000 | 133 |
| FY2026 | $225,000 | $199,680 | $310,000 | 110 |
Cost of living
San Francisco's median Lawyer salary of $225,000 is worth about $194,600 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Francisco = 115.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Lawyers in the San Francisco, CA area earned a median of $212,500 in May 2025 (18,470 employed). The H-1B median here is $225,000, 6% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Kirkland & Ellis | $310,000 | 16 |
| Latham & Watkins | $348,250 | 14 |
| Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan | $225,000 | 13 |
| Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati | $260,000 | 10 |
| Goodwin Procter | too few | 8 |
| Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison | too few | 7 |
| Cooley | too few | 6 |
| Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton | too few | 5 |
| Davis Polk & Wardwell | too few | 5 |
| Weil, Gotshal & Manges | too few | 5 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $173,000 | 85 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $235,000 | 98 |
| Senior · Level III | $310,000 | 36 |
| Expert · Level IV | $420,000 | 16 |
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 | $123,094 | $173,000 | 85 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $198,765 | $235,000 | 98 |
| Senior · Level III | $235,373 | $310,000 | 36 |
| Expert · Level IV | $292,406 | $420,000 | 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.