Senior Physicist salary in San Francisco, CA
Based on 24 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III 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$163,938
Middle 50%$148.6k–$187.7k
vs. all levels here+29%comparison median $127,000
Filings24FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years
Salary range
All levels here
$100k$125k$150k$175k$200k$225k
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $127,000 |
| 25th | $148,600 |
| 50th (median) | $163,938 |
| 75th | $187,685 |
| 90th | $199,183 |
Cost of living
San Francisco's median senior Physicist salary of $163,938 is worth about $141,800 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 | $161,148 | 11 |
| Lawrence Livermore National Security | too few | 6 |
| Leland Stanford Jr. Univ/SLAC National Accelerator Lab | too few | 5 |
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.