Mid-level Molecular and Cellular Biologist salary in San Francisco, CA
Based on 183 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level II in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes South San Francisco, Berkeley, Foster City, Redwood City, Emeryville.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $112,258 |
| 25th | $112,268 |
| 50th (median) | $115,000 |
| 75th | $130,750 |
| 90th | $149,700 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $80,000 | $78,270 | $99,700 | 73 |
| FY2021 | $93,000 | $87,610 | $108,815 | 111 |
| FY2022 | $90,000 | $86,798 | $109,438 | 121 |
| FY2023 | $98,760 | $86,424 | $110,000 | 124 |
| FY2024 | $108,695 | $101,816 | $123,000 | 132 |
| FY2025 | $115,000 | $112,258 | $130,000 | 113 |
| FY2026 | $113,850 | $112,549 | $131,075 | 70 |
Cost of living
San Francisco's median mid-level Molecular and Cellular Biologist salary of $115,000 is worth about $99,500 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Francisco = 115.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Molecular and Cellular Biologists in the San Francisco, CA area earned a median of $138,160 in May 2025 (4,280 employed). The H-1B median here is $115,000, 17% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Insitro | $112,258 | 13 |
| Gilead Sciences | $112,258 | 12 |
| Genentech | $125,016 | 10 |
| Amgen | too few | 9 |
| Calico Life Sciences | too few | 8 |
| Celltheon | too few | 4 |
| Natera | too few | 4 |
| Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research | too few | 4 |
| Buck Institute for Research on Aging | too few | 3 |
| Illumina | too few | 3 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $86,000 | 114 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $115,000 | 183 |
| Senior · Level III | $143,169 | 120 |
| Expert · Level IV | $175,000 | 50 |
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 | $85,197 | $86,000 | 114 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $112,258 | $115,000 | 183 |
| Senior · Level III | $140,213 | $143,169 | 120 |
| Expert · Level IV | $167,877 | $175,000 | 50 |
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.