Expert Programmer Analyst salary in San Francisco, CA
Based on 38 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Fremont, Pleasanton, San Leandro, Dublin, San Ramon.
Also listed as: Computer Programmer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $147,410 |
| 25th | $153,325 |
| 50th (median) | $169,700 |
| 75th | $186,826 |
| 90th | $190,755 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | – | – | – | 4 |
| FY2021 | – | – | – | 3 |
| FY2022 | – | – | – | 5 |
| FY2023 | – | – | – | 6 |
| FY2024 | $169,562 | $154,627 | $169,562 | 23 |
| FY2025 | $154,460 | $147,410 | $179,884 | 20 |
| FY2026 | $183,413 | $153,800 | $188,204 | 18 |
Cost of living
San Francisco's median expert Programmer Analyst salary of $169,700 is worth about $146,800 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Francisco = 115.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Computer Programmers in the San Francisco, CA area earned a median of $130,730 in May 2025 (2,440 employed). The H-1B median here is $169,700, 30% higher.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Accenture | too few | 7 |
| Heartflow | too few | 4 |
| Gp Technologies | too few | 2 |
| Greycell Labs | too few | 2 |
| Htc Global Services | too few | 2 |
| Litmus7 Systems Consulting | too few | 2 |
| Skilltune Technologies | too few | 2 |
| Twilio | 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 | $84,157 | 119 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $107,203 | 508 |
| Senior · Level III | $130,300 | 91 |
| Expert · Level IV | $169,700 | 38 |
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 | $84,157 | $84,157 | 119 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $107,203 | $107,203 | 508 |
| Senior · Level III | $130,270 | $130,300 | 91 |
| Expert · Level IV | $153,317 | $169,700 | 38 |
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.