Expert Technical Writer salary in San Francisco, CA
Based on 13 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV 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 | $155,508 |
| 25th | $157,539 |
| 50th (median) | $190,046 |
| 75th | $205,702 |
| 90th | $216,790 |
Cost of living
San Francisco's median expert Technical Writer salary of $190,046 is worth about $164,400 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 $190,046, 40% higher.
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 | too few | 5 |
| Gilead Sciences | 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.