Technology & IT · San Francisco, CA
The San Francisco-Oakland metro posts the highest median pay of any market we cover in 9 of 11 tech occupations, led by data scientists at $170,110, and even its thinner infrastructure roles pay well above the U.S. Careerscape recruits for Bay Area teams remotely, through technology specialists on a national staff.
AI addresses
The city's largest AI and big tech offices sit within a short walk or Muni ride of each other, south of Market and along the waterfront. Companies are named as market context only.
OpenAI's main San Francisco offices are in Mission Bay, close to UCSF's campus and the Caltrain terminal.
Anthropic is headquartered on Howard Street in SoMa, a short walk from the Salesforce Transit Center.
Google's long-standing city office is at Hills Plaza on Spear Street, near the Ferry Building.
SF metro pay
These BLS May 2025 figures cover the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont metro, which includes Oakland and the East Bay. San Jose and Santa Clara County are a separate BLS metro and are not included. The SF metro has the highest median pay of the 29 markets we cover in 9 of these 11 occupations.
| Occupation | Jobs in metro | Median pay · vs. U.S. | Concentration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | 69,030 | $186,640+37% | 2.68 |
| Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers | 5,880 | $134,630+29% | 2.06 |
| Information Security Analysts | 3,730 | $162,310+26% | 1.28 |
| Network and Computer Systems Administrators | 3,910 | $129,680+31% | 0.81 |
| Computer Systems Analysts | 11,180 | $134,460+27% | 1.41 |
| Data Scientists | 10,460 | $170,110+41% | 2.61 |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 23,830 | $232,890+33% | 2.33 |
| Computer User Support Specialists | 10,770 | $89,440+45% | 0.98 |
| Computer Network Architects | 3,350 | $166,760+24% | 1.22 |
| Database Administrators | 1,470 | $127,760+22% | 1.37 |
| Web Developers | 1,420 | $152,450+65% | 1.33 |
Data scientists are the standout: 10,460 jobs, a location quotient of 2.61 and a $170,110 median, 41% above the U.S. figure. Software developers (69,030 jobs, LQ 2.68) earn a $186,640 median. The thinner pool is infrastructure. Network and systems administrators have a location quotient of 0.81 and computer user support specialists 0.98, yet support pay, at $89,440, is 45% above the U.S. median. Expect to pay SF rates even for roles the metro has relatively few of. Jobs and median annual pay for the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area, all employers, from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey (May 2025). “Vs. U.S.” compares with the national median. Concentration is the BLS location quotient: above 1.0 means the job makes up a bigger share of local employment than it does nationally.
California rules
These rules apply to the business, not to the hiring process, but they drive demand for security, privacy and AI safety staff. Status as of October 2026; not legal advice.
| Rule | Status | Who it reaches | Effect on staffing |
|---|---|---|---|
| SB 53, Transparency in Frontier Artificial Intelligence Act | Signed Sept 29, 2025; in effect since Jan 1, 2026 | Developers that train frontier models (over 10^26 operations); extra duties for those with more than $500M in revenue | Large frontier developers must run an anonymous internal reporting process and tell employees about whistleblower rights |
| CPPA cybersecurity audit regulations (CCPA) | Effective Jan 1, 2026; first audit reports due Apr 1, 2028 | CCPA-covered businesses, phased by revenue; above $100M first, all remaining by Apr 1, 2030 | Independent audits of security programs, which need staff to prepare and remediate |
| CPPA risk-assessment regulations (CCPA) | Required for new processing from Jan 1, 2026; summaries due to the CPPA Apr 1, 2028 | CCPA-covered businesses whose processing poses significant privacy risk | Privacy and security work to run, document and update assessments |
Pay-scale, non-compete and AI screening rules that touch the hiring process itself are covered on our San Francisco staffing guide. Source: White & Case (SB 53); Bass, Berry & Sims (CPPA regulations).
Before you post
Practical points for Bay Area hiring managers who are competing with the AI companies above for the same people.
The BLS data above covers Oakland and Fremont as well as the city. A role open to East Bay commuters or hybrid work draws from the whole metro, which widens the pool more than lowering the bar does.
A data scientist at the SF metro median earns $170,110, against $120,230 nationally. Offers built from national surveys will come in low. Our data scientist salary guide shows the national spread.
"AI engineer" can mean applied machine learning, model training, evaluation or product work on top of a model. Say which one, and which tools, or the shortlist will miss.
Systems administrators are less concentrated here than nationally (LQ 0.81). For on-site infrastructure roles, consider contract staffing or candidates relocating from deeper markets.
If you train large models or fall under the CCPA audit rules, decide whether the security, privacy or AI safety work is a permanent role or a project. The first audit reports for the largest businesses, covering 2027, are due April 1, 2028.
What we recruit
Careerscape's technology recruiters fill these roles across the San Francisco metro, from SoMa to Oakland and the Peninsula.
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FAQ
BLS puts the median annual wage for software developers in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont metro at $186,640 as of May 2025, about 37% above the U.S. median of $135,980. The 75th percentile was $219,670. Base pay is only part of an offer, and AI companies often add equity. For national ranges by role, see our software engineer salary guide.
Indirectly. SB 53, in effect since January 1, 2026, applies to developers of frontier AI models. It protects employees who report serious safety risks, requires developers to tell employees about those rights, and requires large frontier developers, those with more than $500 million in annual revenue, to offer an anonymous internal reporting process. That creates work for safety, compliance and security staff.
We can. Careerscape recruits nationally and remotely, with no San Francisco office, so a search follows the role rather than a branch territory. Our technology recruiters interview candidates by phone and video and share pre-screened shortlists in a private Employer Portal, whether the job is in SoMa, Oakland or San Mateo.
Infrastructure roles. Network and computer systems administrators have a location quotient of 0.81 in the metro, meaning they make up a smaller share of jobs than in the U.S. as a whole, and computer user support specialists sit at 0.98. Both still command high pay here, with systems administrators at a $129,680 median, 31% above the U.S. figure.
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