Urban and Regional Planner salary in San Francisco, CA
Based on 24 certified H-1B filings in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Berkeley, Walnut Creek, Richmond, Hayward, Newark.
Also listed as: Urban Designer, Urban Planner
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $90,771 |
| 25th | $93,910 |
| 50th (median) | $106,167 |
| 75th | $130,000 |
| 90th | $146,586 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $87,148 | $78,781 | $99,362 | 18 |
| FY2021 | $86,735 | $75,684 | $105,000 | 12 |
| FY2022 | $94,247 | $85,000 | $114,682 | 18 |
| FY2023 | $103,000 | $98,738 | $119,356 | 13 |
| FY2024 | $92,000 | $87,500 | $111,120 | 17 |
| FY2025 | $101,358 | $90,771 | $114,000 | 13 |
| FY2026 | $111,592 | $101,493 | $130,388 | 11 |
Cost of living
San Francisco's median Urban and Regional Planner salary of $106,167 is worth about $91,800 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Francisco = 115.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Urban and Regional Planners in the San Francisco, CA area earned a median of $136,250 in May 2025 (1,250 employed). The H-1B median here is $106,167, 22% lower.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| University of California, Berkeley | too few | 4 |
| Van Meter Williams Pollack | too few | 2 |
| Wallace Roberts & Todd | 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 | $94,000 | 11 |
| Mid-level · Level II | too few | 3 |
| Senior · Level III | – | 0 |
| Expert · Level IV | – | 0 |
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 | $90,771 | $94,000 | 11 |
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.