Updated May 2026 · BLS OEWS 2025 reference period
San Francisco, CA Average Salary 2026
Cost of living, occupation-by-occupation pay, and percentile ranges from official BLS data.
The average salary in San Francisco, CA, California is $148,603 as of 2026, based on Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (2025 reference period) covering 63 occupations and roughly 577,160 workers. Adjusted for San Francisco, CA's cost-of-living index of 179.6, that nominal average translates to $82,741 of purchasing power in an average-cost U.S. metro. The highest-paying tracked occupation is Family Medicine Physician at $304,560; the lowest is Welder at $64,320.
San Francisco, CA, CA is a high-cost-of-living city (index 179.6). BLS OEWS reports 63 occupations with median wages averaging $148,603. The headline wages need cost-of-living adjustment to compare meaningfully to lower-COL markets.
Highest-paying role in San Francisco, CA on BLS data is Family Medicine Physician at $304,560 median. Top-paying roles in any U.S. city skew toward physicians, executives, tech specialists, and licensed professionals; the specific ranking varies with the local industry mix. For workers evaluating San Francisco, CA as a destination, the gross-wage premium typical of high-cost cities partially offsets the cost-of-living differential. Whether the trade-off is favorable depends on individual factors (housing tenure, household size, education-cost obligations) more than on aggregate index numbers.
Salaries by Occupation in San Francisco, CA
| Role | Category | Median | Range (10th–90th) | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Family Medicine Physician | Healthcare | $304,560 | $98,220 – $534,110 | 2,170 |
| Computer and Information Systems Manager | Technology | $232,890 | $155,660 – $335,770 | 23,830 |
| Marketing Manager | Management | $220,480 | $133,990 – $333,430 | 11,170 |
| Nurse Practitioner | Healthcare | $219,080 | $153,280 – $273,960 | 3,110 |
| Financial Manager | Finance | $216,150 | $123,280 – $356,070 | 17,040 |
| Lawyer | Legal | $212,500 | $98,280 – $375,580 | 18,470 |
| Human Resources Manager | Management | $209,340 | $123,950 – $323,850 | 4,960 |
| Veterinarian | Healthcare | $208,080 | $89,130 – $295,420 | 1,350 |
| Pediatrician | Healthcare | $207,450 | $102,600 – $447,610 | 810 |
| Dentist | Healthcare | $202,060 | $119,750 – $322,930 | 2,090 |
| Obstetrician/Gynecologist | Healthcare | $198,720 | $103,510 – $442,830 | 0 |
| Software Developer | Technology | $186,640 | $128,090 – $273,400 | 69,030 |
| Registered Nurse | Healthcare | $186,610 | $119,290 – $223,770 | 41,750 |
| Physician Assistant | Healthcare | $184,380 | $106,150 – $237,980 | 1,830 |
| Pharmacist | Healthcare | $177,410 | $135,580 – $229,220 | 3,670 |
| Software Quality Assurance Analyst | Technology | $171,440 | $96,440 – $281,020 | 1,670 |
| Sales Manager | Management | $170,810 | $78,120 – $336,650 | 17,770 |
| Data Scientist | Technology | $170,110 | $99,170 – $272,430 | 10,460 |
| Computer Network Architect | Technology | $166,760 | $121,160 – $242,150 | 3,350 |
| Medical and Health Services Manager | Healthcare | $166,310 | $67,320 – $315,430 | 11,980 |
| Electrical Engineer | Engineering | $166,030 | $97,500 – $219,070 | 2,470 |
| Web Developer | Technology | $163,810 | $81,120 – $230,700 | 6,630 |
| Information Security Analyst | Technology | $162,310 | $61,860 – $246,070 | 3,730 |
| Computer Occupations (Other) | Technology | $161,700 | $63,340 – $255,390 | 16,930 |
| Mechanical Engineer | Engineering | $161,370 | $102,710 – $212,380 | 5,150 |
| Personal Financial Advisor | Finance | $160,610 | $76,900 – $450,120 | 7,130 |
| Engineers (Other) | Engineering | $159,800 | $86,080 – $273,780 | 4,850 |
| Web Designer | Technology | $152,450 | $80,190 – $216,060 | 1,420 |
| General and Operations Manager | Management | $149,990 | $70,960 – $330,110 | 43,520 |
| Dental Hygienist | Healthcare | $146,760 | $109,460 – $156,580 | 3,780 |
| Optometrist | Healthcare | $142,580 | $107,780 – $221,350 | 1,180 |
| Physical Therapist | Healthcare | $141,980 | $103,860 – $188,070 | 3,140 |
| Occupational Therapist | Healthcare | $136,770 | $96,250 – $171,460 | 1,560 |
| Software Quality Assurance Tester | Technology | $134,630 | $75,100 – $205,990 | 5,880 |
| Computer Systems Analyst | Technology | $134,460 | $91,480 – $209,150 | 11,180 |
| Audiologist | Healthcare | $132,390 | $106,240 – $164,050 | 220 |
| Industrial Engineer | Engineering | $132,230 | $90,240 – $198,560 | 5,470 |
| Financial Examiner | Finance | $131,820 | $81,190 – $277,930 | 750 |
| Speech-Language Pathologist | Healthcare | $130,850 | $97,980 – $163,610 | 1,760 |
| Computer Programmer | Technology | $130,730 | $74,110 – $174,770 | 2,440 |
| Financial Analyst | Finance | $130,520 | $82,570 – $217,160 | 9,910 |
| Civil Engineer | Engineering | $130,160 | $90,860 – $202,730 | 10,990 |
| Network Architect | Technology | $129,680 | $82,760 – $193,250 | 3,910 |
| Business Professor (Postsecondary) | Education | $128,640 | $63,300 – $274,540 | 430 |
| Database Architect | Technology | $127,760 | $66,750 – $210,810 | 1,470 |
| Management Analyst | Management | $126,730 | $64,080 – $211,790 | 23,560 |
| Architect | Engineering | $126,550 | $78,990 – $200,380 | 3,780 |
| Market Research Analyst | Management | $123,250 | $60,680 – $211,140 | 24,120 |
| Accountant | Finance | $110,730 | $73,420 – $180,060 | 25,170 |
| Operations Research Analyst | Technology | $110,560 | $76,090 – $176,850 | 2,050 |
| Loan Officer | Finance | $103,000 | $44,440 – $201,080 | 3,330 |
| Secondary School Teacher | Education | $102,880 | $72,820 – $146,540 | 11,520 |
| Public Relations Specialist | Creative | $102,520 | $58,030 – $179,710 | 6,290 |
| Elementary School Teacher | Education | $101,860 | $62,340 – $126,700 | 17,860 |
| Computer Network Support Specialist | Technology | $101,600 | $65,070 – $172,060 | 2,370 |
| Electrician | Trades | $92,830 | $55,360 – $182,340 | 9,060 |
| Graphic Designer | Creative | $92,050 | $54,470 – $142,460 | 3,870 |
| Carpenter | Trades | $89,200 | $59,020 – $132,760 | 14,010 |
| Clinical Laboratory Technologist | Healthcare | $84,130 | $55,570 – $133,660 | 5,210 |
| Paralegal | Legal | $84,030 | $58,590 – $131,820 | 7,630 |
| Plumber | Trades | $77,880 | $48,540 – $155,330 | 5,660 |
| Automotive Technician | Trades | $76,030 | $45,210 – $108,070 | 7,270 |
| Welder | Trades | $64,320 | $48,010 – $99,930 | 1,990 |
What These Numbers Tell You
The single highest-paying occupation tracked in San Francisco, CA is Family Medicine Physician, with a median of $304,560 and a 90th-percentile reading of $534,110. That $435,890 spread between the 10th and 90th percentiles is typical for a role of this seniority — entry-level workers cluster near the bottom of the band, while senior specialists and managers earn at the top.
Across all 63 BLS-tracked occupations in San Francisco, CA, the average median salary is $148,603. The top five roles average $238,632 — about 1.6× the citywide average — which is the expected shape for a U.S. metro economy: a small concentration of high-skill, high-credential occupations sits well above the broader middle.
San Francisco, CA is one of the most expensive metros tracked here, with a cost-of-living index of 179.6 — about 80% above the U.S. national average. Housing dominates that premium; in markets at this level, mortgage or rent often consumes 35–45% of pre-tax pay even at the median, so the headline salary numbers below understate how much purchasing power you actually keep.
Salary Negotiation in San Francisco, CA
For salary negotiation in San Francisco, CA, the practical input is the percentile band for your role and city, not the citywide average. The OEWS publishes 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentile wages for every metro and occupation; you can find your role's exact percentile in the table above and use the SalaryTruth percentile calculator to anchor your offer. Cost-of-living index 179.6 should also factor in any cross-metro comparison.
For city-vs-city moves, the right benchmark is COL-adjusted pay rather than nominal pay. Our COL-adjusted salaries guide shows the exact math; the negotiation playbook covers how to use BLS percentile bands to anchor offers.
How San Francisco, CA Salary Data Is Built
Wages on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program — a federal survey of more than 1.2 million U.S. establishments, published once per year by Metropolitan Statistical Area and Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code. We pull the BLS data file for San Francisco, CA, match each occupation against our role catalog, and surface percentile wages alongside employment counts. The cost-of-living index (179.6) is a composite of housing, food, transportation, and utility data from public sources, calibrated to a U.S. national average of 100. Read the full methodology.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average salary in San Francisco, CA in 2026?
The average salary in San Francisco, CA is $148,603 as of 2026, based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics' OEWS 2025 release covering 63 occupations. The mean (employment-weighted average) gives slightly more weight to large occupations; the median across roles is also close to $148,603. The top-paying role is Family Medicine Physician at $304,560.
Is $100,000 a good salary in San Francisco, CA?
In San Francisco, CA, $100,000 has the purchasing power of $55,679 in an average-cost U.S. metro (COL index 179.6). That is meaningfully below $100K of buying power — high-cost metros eat into nominal salaries. Compared to the city's average median of $148,603, $100K is below the typical worker.
What are the highest-paying jobs in San Francisco, CA?
The top-paying tracked occupations in San Francisco, CA are Family Medicine Physician ($304,560), Computer and Information Systems Manager ($232,890), Marketing Manager ($220,480), and Nurse Practitioner ($219,080). Across the top 10, median salaries range from $202,060 to $304,560. See the full ranking at /ranking/highest-paying-jobs/san-francisco.
How does San Francisco, CA's cost of living affect salaries?
San Francisco, CA has a cost-of-living index of 179.6, 80% above the U.S. national average. A nominal salary of $148,603 in this metro has the equivalent purchasing power of $82,741 in an average-cost U.S. city. Housing is the dominant driver of this gap; in higher-COL markets, mortgage or rent typically eats 5–15 percentage points more of pre-tax pay than in average-cost metros.
How many people are employed in San Francisco, CA?
Across the 63 BLS-tracked occupations on this page, total employment in the San Francisco, CA metro is approximately 577,160. BLS OEWS sample-based estimates cover all major occupational categories but exclude very small or volatile fields where the sample is too thin to publish.
Where does this San Francisco, CA salary data come from?
Every wage figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program at bls.gov/oes — public domain federal survey data covering about 1.2 million U.S. employers. The same data is used by the U.S. Department of Labor for prevailing wage determinations.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, San Francisco, CA MSA, 2026 release. Public domain. See bls.gov/oes. Cite as: "SalaryTruth, BLS OEWS 2026."
Last refreshed 2026-05-21 · 63 occupations · COL Index 179.6.