Software Engineer salary in San Francisco, CA
Based on 17,679 certified H-1B filings in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Menlo Park, Fremont, San Mateo, Pleasanton, Redwood City.
Also listed as: Software Developer, Software Development Engineer, SDE
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $145,000 |
| 25th | $162,000 |
| 50th (median) | $189,987 |
| 75th | $219,221 |
| 90th | $249,520 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $144,040 | $120,000 | $167,000 | 13,994 |
| FY2021 | $150,360 | $125,000 | $173,472 | 12,575 |
| FY2022 | $160,000 | $133,120 | $185,000 | 13,098 |
| FY2023 | $167,910 | $142,000 | $193,000 | 9,410 |
| FY2024 | $181,272 | $150,679 | $210,000 | 9,169 |
| FY2025 | $186,100 | $158,900 | $214,200 | 9,701 |
| FY2026 | $195,000 | $167,000 | $223,000 | 7,978 |
Cost of living
San Francisco's median Software Engineer salary of $189,987 is worth about $164,300 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Francisco = 115.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Software Developers in the San Francisco, CA area earned a median of $186,640 in May 2025 (69,030 employed). The H-1B median here is $189,987, 2% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Meta | $214,032 | 3,250 |
| Amazon | $178,300 | 919 |
| Salesforce | $222,959 | 885 |
| $186,000 | 698 | |
| Tesla | $190,000 | 316 |
| Roblox | $255,200 | 283 |
| Snowflake | $187,574 | 249 |
| Workday | $172,931 | 217 |
| Uber | $196,500 | 208 |
| Zoox | $192,000 | 192 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $144,900 | 2,210 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $176,657 | 5,062 |
| Senior · Level III | $200,000 | 3,592 |
| Expert · Level IV | $230,000 | 4,054 |
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 | $135,699 | $144,900 | 2,210 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $155,605 | $176,657 | 5,062 |
| Senior · Level III | $187,574 | $200,000 | 3,592 |
| Expert · Level IV | $213,512 | $230,000 | 4,054 |
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.