Expert Physicist salary in San Francisco, CA
Based on 16 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Menlo Park, Berkeley, Livermore, Fremont, Hayward.
Also listed as: Medical Physicist, Assistant Physicist
Median salary$194,820
Middle 50%$147.2k–$234.2k
vs. all levels here+53%comparison median $127,000
Filings16FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years
Salary range
All levels here
$100k$125k$150k$175k$200k$225k$250k$275k$300k$325k
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $145,029 |
| 25th | $147,198 |
| 50th (median) | $194,820 |
| 75th | $234,218 |
| 90th | $290,867 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $139,224 | $130,740 | $159,927 | 16 |
| FY2021 | – | – | – | 6 |
| FY2022 | – | – | – | 6 |
| FY2023 | $145,200 | $122,395 | $177,737 | 11 |
| FY2024 | – | – | – | 6 |
| FY2025 | $176,099 | $147,198 | $234,218 | 12 |
| FY2026 | – | – | – | 4 |
Cost of living
San Francisco's median expert Physicist salary of $194,820 is worth about $168,500 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Francisco = 115.6).
Employers filing at this level
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory | too few | 6 |
| Leland Stanford Jr. Univ/SLAC National Accelerator Lab | too few | 4 |
| Lawrence Livermore National Security | too few | 3 |
| Ucsf Medical Center | 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 | $83,480 | 42 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $152,153 | 43 |
| Senior · Level III | $163,938 | 24 |
| Expert · Level IV | $194,820 | 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 | $78,853 | $83,480 | 42 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $96,242 | $152,153 | 43 |
| Senior · Level III | $113,610 | $163,938 | 24 |
| Expert · Level IV | $130,998 | $194,820 | 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.