Mid-level Physicist salary in San Francisco, CA
Based on 43 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level II 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$152,153
Middle 50%$118.5k–$181k
vs. all levels here+20%comparison median $127,000
Filings43FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years
Salary range
All levels here
$75k$100k$125k$150k$175k$200k$225k
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $116,400 |
| 25th | $118,500 |
| 50th (median) | $152,153 |
| 75th | $180,987 |
| 90th | $194,110 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | – | – | – | 9 |
| FY2021 | $109,221 | $96,672 | $127,614 | 14 |
| FY2022 | $148,956 | $137,000 | $161,188 | 15 |
| FY2023 | $97,000 | $95,800 | $110,700 | 17 |
| FY2024 | $134,068 | $110,700 | $169,200 | 25 |
| FY2025 | $143,965 | $118,000 | $180,730 | 26 |
| FY2026 | $168,126 | $148,000 | $180,000 | 17 |
Cost of living
San Francisco's median mid-level Physicist salary of $152,153 is worth about $131,600 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Leland Stanford Jr. Univ/SLAC National Accelerator Lab | $127,526 | 25 |
| Lawrence Livermore National Security | $187,552 | 14 |
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.