Entry-level Software Engineer salary in San Francisco, CA
Based on 2,210 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I 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 | $130,250 |
| 25th | $135,699 |
| 50th (median) | $144,900 |
| 75th | $156,800 |
| 90th | $187,574 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $100,000 | $94,203 | $117,507 | 1,044 |
| FY2021 | $98,779 | $96,616 | $110,000 | 700 |
| FY2022 | $102,000 | $98,779 | $120,000 | 942 |
| FY2023 | $115,586 | $108,000 | $135,000 | 937 |
| FY2024 | $130,000 | $113,500 | $141,000 | 960 |
| FY2025 | $139,000 | $130,250 | $148,400 | 1,114 |
| FY2026 | $150,000 | $137,280 | $186,200 | 1,096 |
Cost of living
San Francisco's median entry-level Software Engineer salary of $144,900 is worth about $125,300 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 $144,900, 22% lower.
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 | $186,200 | 446 |
| Amazon | $148,400 | 260 |
| Veeva Systems | $133,500 | 56 |
| Nisum Technologies | $140,000 | 46 |
| DoorDash | $153,600 | 43 |
| Snowflake | $160,000 | 36 |
| Lyft | $140,800 | 29 |
| Verkada | $150,000 | 27 |
| Stripe | $156,800 | 23 |
| Roblox | $192,890 | 17 |
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.