Software Developer (R&D) salary in San Francisco, CA
Based on 31 certified H-1B filings in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Menlo Park, Newark, South San Francisco.
Median salary$240,000
Middle 50%$197.9k–$257.5k
vs. national median+121%comparison median $108,534
Filings31FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years
Salary range
National median
$50k$100k$150k$200k$250k$300k$350k
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $140,000 |
| 25th | $197,869 |
| 50th (median) | $240,000 |
| 75th | $257,500 |
| 90th | $300,000 |
Cost of living
San Francisco's median Software Developer (R&D) salary of $240,000 is worth about $207,600 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Francisco = 115.6).
Top employers filing
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Resolve AI | $240,000 | 22 |
| Leland Stanford Jr. Univ/SLAC National Accelerator Lab | too few | 6 |
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 | – | 0 |
| Senior · Level III | too few | 4 |
| Expert · Level IV | – | 0 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.