Mid-level Systems Engineer salary in San Francisco, CA
Based on 59 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level II in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Fremont, Foster City, Pleasanton, Belmont, Oakland.
Median salary$128,000
Middle 50%$114.6k–$166.3k
vs. all levels here−18%comparison median $156,270
Filings59FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years
Salary range
All levels here
$75k$100k$125k$150k$175k$200k$225k
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $105,920 |
| 25th | $114,598 |
| 50th (median) | $128,000 |
| 75th | $166,250 |
| 90th | $195,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $105,000 | $93,600 | $118,964 | 45 |
| FY2021 | $120,931 | $102,118 | $135,900 | 55 |
| FY2022 | $121,763 | $100,000 | $130,000 | 53 |
| FY2023 | $116,000 | $109,203 | $138,500 | 42 |
| FY2024 | $124,318 | $115,066 | $149,354 | 42 |
| FY2025 | $119,480 | $106,000 | $148,303 | 39 |
| FY2026 | $136,334 | $116,050 | $180,000 | 20 |
Cost of living
San Francisco's median mid-level Systems Engineer salary of $128,000 is worth about $110,700 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Compunnel Software Group | $106,000 | 12 |
| Cloudflare | too few | 8 |
| E-Nexus | too few | 2 |
| Enphase Energy | too few | 2 |
| Nisum Technologies | too few | 2 |
| Spruce Technology | too few | 2 |
| Tesla | 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.