Technical Writer salary in San Francisco, CA
Based on 31 certified H-1B filings in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Foster City, Burlingame, Menlo Park, San Mateo, Bay Point.
Also listed as: Technical Writer Technical
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $82,430 |
| 25th | $119,000 |
| 50th (median) | $148,164 |
| 75th | $179,000 |
| 90th | $205,702 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $110,469 | $84,120 | $146,605 | 27 |
| FY2021 | $112,000 | $92,435 | $139,920 | 27 |
| FY2022 | $122,179 | $91,416 | $150,000 | 30 |
| FY2023 | $134,000 | $89,093 | $168,905 | 18 |
| FY2024 | $138,000 | $100,753 | $171,185 | 12 |
| FY2025 | $139,000 | $122,869 | $184,926 | 20 |
| FY2026 | $156,000 | $121,248 | $168,770 | 11 |
Cost of living
San Francisco's median Technical Writer salary of $148,164 is worth about $128,200 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Francisco = 115.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Technical Writers in the San Francisco, CA area earned a median of $135,470 in May 2025 (1,020 employed). The H-1B median here is $148,164, 9% 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 | too few | 5 |
| too few | 4 | |
| Gilead Sciences | too few | 2 |
| Zuora | 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 | – | 0 |
| Mid-level · Level II | – | 0 |
| Senior · Level III | too few | 2 |
| Expert · Level IV | $190,046 | 13 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expert · Level IV | $157,539 | $190,046 | 13 |
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.