Research Assistant (Social Science) salary in San Francisco, CA
Based on 45 certified H-1B filings in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Burlingame, Berkeley, Oakland, Lafayette, San Rafael.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $65,981 |
| 25th | $70,000 |
| 50th (median) | $85,000 |
| 75th | $105,000 |
| 90th | $110,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $70,000 | $60,000 | $75,000 | 50 |
| FY2021 | $66,914 | $60,002 | $77,400 | 22 |
| FY2022 | $75,000 | $61,235 | $90,096 | 41 |
| FY2023 | $75,000 | $61,235 | $85,000 | 25 |
| FY2024 | $82,500 | $66,250 | $92,500 | 18 |
| FY2025 | $82,500 | $70,000 | $105,000 | 32 |
| FY2026 | $86,600 | $70,000 | $105,000 | 13 |
Cost of living
San Francisco's median Research Assistant (Social Science) salary of $85,000 is worth about $73,500 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Francisco = 115.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Social Science Research Assistants in the San Francisco, CA area earned a median of $82,020 in May 2025 (710 employed). The H-1B median here is $85,000, 4% higher.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Top employers filing
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| The Sphere Institute | $95,000 | 36 |
| Institute for Security and Technology | too few | 2 |
| University of California, Berkeley | 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 | – | 0 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $70,000 | 15 |
| Senior · Level III | too few | 6 |
| Expert · Level IV | $105,000 | 20 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mid-level · Level II | $65,229 | $70,000 | 15 |
| Expert · Level IV | $93,746 | $105,000 | 20 |
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.