San Francisco is the highest-paying city for H1B software engineers in the US. DOL LCA data for FY2024 shows 42,800 filings at a median of $198,000 — 65% above the national H1B median. Google, Meta, Stripe, and Apple are the dominant sponsors, with Staff and Principal engineers regularly filing at $268K–$318K.
Key fact: DOL LCA data confirms San Francisco's prevailing wages for software engineers are the highest in the country — Level III is $195,000 and Level IV is $228,000. H1B employers must meet these floors, pushing median wages far above other metro areas.
| Role | Median |
|---|---|
| SWE L3 (mid-level) | $172,000 |
| Senior SWE L4 | $210,000 |
| Staff SWE L5 | $268,000 |
| ML Engineer L4 | $225,000 |
| Principal Engineer L6 | $318,000 |
Source: DOL LCA disclosures, FY2024.
| Employer | Median Wage |
|---|---|
| $185,000 | |
| Meta | $182,000 |
| Salesforce | $168,000 |
| Stripe | $195,000 |
| Apple | $178,000 |
| $172,000 |