Entry-level Network Administrator salary in San Francisco, CA

Based on 32 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Fremont, Pleasanton, Foster City, Menlo Park, San Ramon.

Also listed as: Systems Administrator

Median salary$88,762

Middle 50%$86.8k–$93.7k

vs. all levels here−33%comparison median $133,307

Filings32FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

All levels here

$70k$80k$90k$100k$110k$120k$130k$140k$150k

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $86,632 and $154,712.

Percentile	Salary
10th	$86,632
25th	$86,778
50th (median)	$88,762
75th	$93,718
90th	$107,145

Salary by year

Median salary

Filings per year

Shaded: FY2025–FY2026, the years behind the figures above. Median shown for years with at least 10 filings. FY2026 covers Q1–Q3 only.

Show as table

Fiscal year	Median	P25	P75	Filings
FY2020	$69,701	$68,987	$82,466	11
FY2021	$75,000	$71,000	$85,727	11
FY2022	$74,900	$68,349	$76,440	11
FY2023	$76,750	$76,440	$83,730	16
FY2024	$82,971	$82,971	$83,000	10
FY2025	$87,069	$86,778	$90,000	22
FY2026	$96,145	$87,474	$105,279	10

Cost of living

San Francisco's median entry-level Network Administrator salary of $88,762 is worth about $76,800 at national average prices.

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Francisco = 115.6).

Compared with all workers here

All Network and Computer Systems Administrators in the San Francisco, CA area earned a median of $129,680 in May 2025 (3,910 employed). The H-1B median here is $88,762, 32% 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
Cloud360	too few	2
Octans Group	too few	2
Qualys	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	$88,762	32
Mid-level · Level II	$110,032	111
Senior · Level III	$134,190	50
Expert · Level IV	$167,050	76

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	$86,778	$88,762	32
Mid-level · Level II	$110,032	$110,032	111
Senior · Level III	$133,328	$134,190	50
Expert · Level IV	$156,666	$167,050	76

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.