Mid-level Software Engineer salary in San Francisco, CA
Based on 5,062 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level II 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 | $155,605 |
| 25th | $161,637 |
| 50th (median) | $176,657 |
| 75th | $190,000 |
| 90th | $210,154 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $120,931 | $119,122 | $133,265 | 5,575 |
| FY2021 | $124,630 | $120,931 | $140,000 | 4,102 |
| FY2022 | $133,000 | $121,800 | $152,990 | 4,531 |
| FY2023 | $147,368 | $133,925 | $165,000 | 3,302 |
| FY2024 | $164,000 | $148,000 | $184,662 | 2,883 |
| FY2025 | $175,000 | $160,000 | $186,500 | 2,993 |
| FY2026 | $180,000 | $162,000 | $200,000 | 2,069 |
Cost of living
San Francisco's median mid-level Software Engineer salary of $176,657 is worth about $152,800 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 $176,657, 5% 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 | $185,644 | 815 |
| Amazon | $185,700 | 365 |
| $188,000 | 332 | |
| Salesforce | $180,000 | 229 |
| Workday | $161,637 | 133 |
| Snowflake | $161,637 | 80 |
| Tesla | $179,756 | 78 |
| Airbnb | $191,000 | 71 |
| Roblox | $224,755 | 66 |
| Microsoft | $171,705 | 50 |
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.