Research Scientist Salary in San Francisco, CA

IQ Team
Written by IQ Team
IQ Team
Published March 24, 2022
Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
Table of contents

$136,876

Average Base Salary

$242,961

Average Total Compensation

Min: $66K
Max: $202K
Base Salary
Median: $138K
Mean (Average): $137K
Data points: 2,521
Min: $5K
Max: $530K
Total Compensation
Median: $256K
Mean (Average): $243K
Data points: 95
The average base salary for a Research Scientist in San Francisco, CA is $136,876
based on 2,521 data points.
Adjusting the average for more recent salary data points, the average recency weighted base salary is $143,653.

The estimated average total compensation is $242,961
based on 95 data points.
The average recency weighted total compensation is $240,024.

Normalized Research Scientist Salaries in San Francisco, CA


Average total compensation
0% - Low
15%85%
Cost of living
0% - Low
15%85%
Years of experience
0% - Low
15%85%

The average base salary for Research Scientist in San Francisco, CA is in the top 99% compared to all other cities salaries.

The average base salary for Research Scientist in San Francisco, CA is $136,876 while the average Research Scientist base salary is $93,923.

If we normalize the salaries in San Francisco, CA by the cost of living, then the average base salary for Research Scientist in San Francisco, CA is in the top 92% compared to all other cities.

If we normalize the salaries in San Francisco, CA by the years of experience, then the average base salary for Research Scientist in San Francisco, CA is in the top 94% compared to all other cities.

Research Scientist Salary in San Francisco, CA by Seniority Levels

Manager
$228K
$253K
Manager
Median: $235K
Mean (Average): $238K
Data points: 11
Senior
$102K
$275K
Senior
Median: $154K
Mean (Average): $168K
Data points: 263
Mid-Level
$77K
$180K
Mid-Level
Median: $140K
Mean (Average): $131K
Data points: 149
Entry Level
$90K
$179K
Entry Level
Median: $111K
Mean (Average): $122K
Data points: 22
Base salary
Median
Mean (Average)
* = Low confidence (less than 5 data points)

Seniority can increase the pay of a Research Scientist in San Francisco, CA. Here are the base salaries of a Research Scientist in San Francisco, CA grouped into 4 seniority categories.

Research Scientist Salary in San Francisco, CA Compared to other Positions

Product Manager
$120K
$260K
Product Manager
Median: $180K
Mean (Average): $183K
Data points: 2,283
Machine Learning Engineer
$110K
$240K
Machine Learning Engineer
Median: $170K
Mean (Average): $170K
Data points: 1,936
Software Engineer
$74K
$225K
Software Engineer
Median: $150K
Mean (Average): $151K
Data points: 45,655
Data Scientist
$92K
$200K
Data Scientist
Median: $142K
Mean (Average): $144K
Data points: 8,899
Data Engineer
$83K
$194K
Data Engineer
Median: $135K
Mean (Average): $139K
Data points: 4,714
Research Scientist
$66K
$202K
Research Scientist
Median: $138K
Mean (Average): $137K
Data points: 2,521
Product Analyst
$73K
$160K
Product Analyst
Median: $110K
Mean (Average): $113K
Data points: 343
Business Intelligence
$63K
$164K
Business Intelligence
Median: $110K
Mean (Average): $110K
Data points: 1,184
Growth Marketing Analyst
$51K
$185K
Growth Marketing Analyst
Median: $100K
Mean (Average): $108K
Data points: 403
Data Analyst
$54K
$153K
Data Analyst
Median: $95K
Mean (Average): $99K
Data points: 4,012
Business Analyst
$61K
$150K
Business Analyst
Median: $95K
Mean (Average): $98K
Data points: 4,124
Base salary
Median
Mean (Average)
* = Low confidence (less than 5 data points)

Most data science positions fall under different position titles depending on the actual role.

From the graph we can see that on average the Product Manager role pays the most with a $183,338 base salary while the Business Analyst role on average pays the least with a $98,374 base salary.

Research Scientist Salary in San Francisco, CA Compared to other Cities

Seattle, WA
$68K
$199K
Seattle, WA
Median: $140K
Mean (Average): $140K
Data points: 876
San Francisco, CA
$66K
$202K
San Francisco, CA
Median: $138K
Mean (Average): $137K
Data points: 2,521
Albany-Schenectady-Troy Area
$107K
$135K
Albany-Schenectady-Troy Area
Median: $117K
Mean (Average): $116K
Data points: 22
Monterey-Salinas, CA
$99K
$131K
Monterey-Salinas, CA
Median: $115K
Mean (Average): $116K
Data points: 11
Portland, OR
$59K
$160K
Portland, OR
Median: $109K
Mean (Average): $109K
Data points: 129
Indianapolis, IN
$58K
$136K
Indianapolis, IN
Median: $115K
Mean (Average): $107K
Data points: 111
Minneapolis-St. Paul Area
$80K
$120K
Minneapolis-St. Paul Area
Median: $101K
Mean (Average): $102K
Data points: 63
Los Angeles, CA
$55K
$165K
Los Angeles, CA
Median: $95K
Mean (Average): $102K
Data points: 296
Pittsburgh, PA
$48K
$179K
Pittsburgh, PA
Median: $90K
Mean (Average): $102K
Data points: 201
Austin, TX
$54K
$159K
Austin, TX
Median: $100K
Mean (Average): $101K
Data points: 83
San Diego, CA
$54K
$152K
San Diego, CA
Median: $98K
Mean (Average): $99K
Data points: 199
Gainesville, FL
$65K
$138K
Gainesville, FL
Median: $98K
Mean (Average): $98K
Data points: 6
Toronto, Canada
$72K
$126K
Toronto, Canada
Median: $95K
Mean (Average): $97K
Data points: 8
Montgomery, AL
$83K
$108K
Montgomery, AL
Median: $98K
Mean (Average): $95K
Data points: 6
Dayton, OH
$75K
$123K
Dayton, OH
Median: $84K
Mean (Average): $91K
Data points: 16
Base salary
Median
Mean (Average)
* = Low confidence (less than 5 data points)
1
...

The Research Scientist salary in Seattle, WA is the highest paying salary with a $140,035 average base salary. The Research Scientist salary in Bucharest, Romania is the lowest paying salary with $41,000 average base salary.

Top Companies for Research Scientist Salaries in San Francisco, CA

Netflix
$127K
$630K
Netflix
Median: $350K
Mean (Average): $379K
Data points: 17
Waymo
$145K
$220K
Waymo
Median: $175K
Mean (Average): $184K
Data points: 21
Meta
$130K
$235K
Meta
Median: $168K
Mean (Average): $175K
Data points: 451
Bytedance Inc.
$120K
$203K
Bytedance Inc.
Median: $180K
Mean (Average): $171K
Data points: 31
Criteo
$158K
$192K
Criteo
Median: $160K
Mean (Average): $168K
Data points: 7
Baidu
$149K
$191K
Baidu
Median: $168K
Mean (Average): $168K
Data points: 17
Lyft
$135K
$203K
Lyft
Median: $169K
Mean (Average): $167K
Data points: 19
Alibaba Group
$139K
$184K
Alibaba Group
Median: $174K
Mean (Average): $166K
Data points: 9
Google
$135K
$212K
Google
Median: $158K
Mean (Average): $166K
Data points: 158
Apple
$144K
$207K
Apple
Median: $155K
Mean (Average): $166K
Data points: 15
$142K
$179K
Median: $154K
Mean (Average): $159K
Data points: 5
Nvidia
$118K
$222K
Nvidia
Median: $142K
Mean (Average): $159K
Data points: 30
Salesforce
$128K
$170K
Salesforce
Median: $158K
Mean (Average): $156K
Data points: 31
Bosch
$119K
$183K
Bosch
Median: $157K
Mean (Average): $154K
Data points: 29
Cisco
$125K
$191K
Cisco
Median: $142K
Mean (Average): $150K
Data points: 5
Base salary
Median
Mean (Average)
* = Low confidence (less than 5 data points)
1
...

The Research Scientist at Netflix salary is the highest paying salary with a $379,192 average base salary. The Research Scientist at Surveymonkey salary is the lowest paying salary with $73,684 average base salary.
Position salary guides
Business Analyst Salary in San Francisco, CABusiness Intelligence Salary in San Francisco, CAData Analyst Salary in San Francisco, CAData Engineer Salary in San Francisco, CAData Scientist Salary in San Francisco, CA (Updated for 2024)Growth Marketing Analyst Salary in San Francisco, CAMachine Learning Engineer Salary in San Francisco, CAProduct Analyst Salary in San Francisco, CAProduct Manager Salary in San Francisco, CASoftware Engineer Salary in San Francisco, CA