Entry-level Research Scientist (Computer Science) salary in San Francisco, CA
Based on 174 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Menlo Park, Berkeley, Burlingame, Redwood City, San Mateo.
Also listed as: Machine Learning Engineer, AI Researcher
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $116,338 |
| 25th | $156,000 |
| 50th (median) | $182,000 |
| 75th | $209,082 |
| 90th | $234,076 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $105,000 | $86,700 | $171,125 | 50 |
| FY2021 | $106,800 | $94,750 | $121,900 | 28 |
| FY2022 | $132,059 | $100,650 | $154,500 | 30 |
| FY2023 | $150,000 | $140,000 | $168,250 | 60 |
| FY2024 | $164,000 | $148,429 | $190,000 | 45 |
| FY2025 | $165,925 | $155,075 | $184,243 | 50 |
| FY2026 | $191,875 | $163,988 | $220,738 | 124 |
Cost of living
San Francisco's median entry-level Research Scientist (Computer Science) salary of $182,000 is worth about $157,400 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Francisco = 115.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Computer and Information Research Scientists in the San Francisco, CA area earned a median of $171,440 in May 2025 (1,670 employed). The H-1B median here is $182,000, 6% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Meta | $189,192 | 50 |
| Amazon | $185,000 | 20 |
| Anthropic, PBC | too few | 7 |
| Typical Set | too few | 4 |
| too few | 3 | |
| Anysphere | too few | 3 |
| Datology AI | too few | 3 |
| Janssen Research & Development | too few | 3 |
| Visa | too few | 2 |
| Abridge AI | 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 | $182,000 | 174 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $186,200 | 597 |
| Senior · Level III | $214,287 | 254 |
| Expert · Level IV | $250,000 | 218 |
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 | $96,678 | $182,000 | 174 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $134,139 | $186,200 | 597 |
| Senior · Level III | $171,621 | $214,287 | 254 |
| Expert · Level IV | $209,082 | $250,000 | 218 |
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.