Senior Medical Scientist salary in San Francisco, CA
Based on 42 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes South San Francisco, Foster City, Berkeley, Alameda, Redwood City.
Also listed as: Research Scientist, Associate Research Scientist
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $140,462 |
| 25th | $140,462 |
| 50th (median) | $150,000 |
| 75th | $163,021 |
| 90th | $185,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $111,485 | $106,891 | $128,730 | 40 |
| FY2021 | $129,813 | $120,474 | $136,414 | 31 |
| FY2022 | $130,250 | $130,250 | $138,000 | 21 |
| FY2023 | $136,802 | $136,802 | $144,190 | 27 |
| FY2024 | $140,421 | $140,421 | $146,000 | 26 |
| FY2025 | $140,462 | $140,462 | $155,727 | 23 |
| FY2026 | $157,000 | $148,720 | $163,732 | 19 |
Cost of living
San Francisco's median senior Medical Scientist salary of $150,000 is worth about $129,700 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Francisco = 115.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists in the San Francisco, CA area earned a median of $160,180 in May 2025 (7,310 employed). The H-1B median here is $150,000, 6% lower.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Gilead Sciences | $140,462 | 11 |
| Genentech | too few | 5 |
| AbbVie | too few | 3 |
| Buck Institute for Research on Aging | too few | 2 |
| Cerus | too few | 2 |
| Neuralink | too few | 2 |
| Unlearn.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 | $107,973 | 35 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $130,000 | 71 |
| Senior · Level III | $150,000 | 42 |
| Expert · Level IV | $181,300 | 36 |
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 | $99,715 | $107,973 | 35 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $125,278 | $130,000 | 71 |
| Senior · Level III | $148,678 | $150,000 | 42 |
| Expert · Level IV | $172,099 | $181,300 | 36 |
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.