Expert Systems Engineer salary in San Francisco, CA
Based on 35 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Fremont, Foster City, Pleasanton, Belmont, Oakland.
Median salary$189,000
Middle 50%$174.1k–$213.1k
vs. all levels here+21%comparison median $156,270
Filings35FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years
Salary range
All levels here
$125k$150k$175k$200k$225k$250k$275k
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $158,305 |
| 25th | $174,108 |
| 50th (median) | $189,000 |
| 75th | $213,106 |
| 90th | $238,110 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $156,749 | $147,500 | $177,953 | 20 |
| FY2021 | $172,550 | $152,138 | $206,000 | 23 |
| FY2022 | $177,131 | $166,755 | $195,065 | 27 |
| FY2023 | $178,141 | $163,040 | $188,750 | 18 |
| FY2024 | $175,000 | $148,408 | $216,000 | 13 |
| FY2025 | $183,040 | $168,939 | $207,350 | 15 |
| FY2026 | $194,500 | $184,496 | $213,512 | 20 |
Cost of living
San Francisco's median expert Systems Engineer salary of $189,000 is worth about $163,500 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Francisco = 115.6).
Employers filing at this level
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Zoox | too few | 9 |
| Curtis Instruments | too few | 3 |
| Lam Research | too few | 2 |
| Parker Hannifin | 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 | $106,500 | 14 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $128,000 | 59 |
| Senior · Level III | $174,637 | 37 |
| Expert · Level IV | $189,000 | 35 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
