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2026 Salary Data — San Francisco, CA
Updated April 28, 2026

DevOps Engineer Salary in San Francisco: $202K Median

DevOps Engineers in San Francisco, CA earn between $147K and $302K per year.

That's +55% above the US national median of $130,000 for this role.

Quick Answer

As of April 2026, the median DevOps Engineer salary in San Francisco, CA is $201,500 per year — +55% above the US national median of $130,000. Salaries range from $147,250 (entry, 25th percentile) to $302,250 (90th percentile). DevOps Engineers in San Francisco earned approximately $32,500 in 2025, representing 520.0% year-over-year growth.

Median
$201,500
+520.0% YoY · $16,792/mo
Entry
$147,250
0–2 years
Experienced
$279,000
5+ years
Top 10%
$302,250
Senior/lead
DevOps Engineer Salary — San Francisco vs Nearby
San Francisco
$202K
Los Angeles
$166K
+21% vs San Francisco
San Diego
$153K
+31% vs San Francisco
Fresno
$124K
+63% vs San Francisco

Free ATS scan · San Francisco employers · Results in 60 seconds

About DevOps Engineers in San Francisco

DevOps engineers automate infrastructure, manage deployment pipelines, and ensure reliable operations through code.

Core Responsibilities

  • CI/CD pipeline management
  • Infrastructure as code
  • Cloud architecture
  • Monitoring and incident response
  • Container orchestration

Education & Certifications

Typical path: Bachelor's degree (or equivalent experience)

In-demand certifications

AWS Solutions ArchitectKubernetes (CKA/CKAD)Terraform AssociateGoogle Cloud Engineer

San Francisco Job Market

Global tech capital with highest tech salaries in the US, especially AI/ML.

Population
873K
Cost of Living
244
vs 100 US avg
Unemployment
4.5%
Median Home
$1300K

Top Industries in San Francisco

Tech (FAANG, AI)FinanceBiotechTourism

Top Employers Hiring DevOps Engineers

Major employers active in San Francisco or hiring remotely from this metro.

AWS
Google Cloud
Microsoft
Netflix
Uber
Airbnb
Stripe
Datadog

All major employers use ATS software.

Workday, Greenhouse, Taleo, and iCIMS auto-screen 75% of resumes before a human ever sees them. Scan your resume free to see your match rate.

2026 Hot Skills & Resume Keywords

Skills that command salary premiums and pass ATS keyword filters.

Hottest 2026 Skills

These appear in the highest-paying DevOps Engineer listings.

KubernetesTerraformAWS/GCPObservabilityPlatform engineeringGitOps

ATS Resume Keywords

Include these naturally throughout your resume.

KubernetesDockerAWSTerraformAnsibleCI/CDJenkinsGitLabmonitoring (Datadog)Linux
Career Outlook
+21% Growth Projected (2024-2034)

DevOps engineer demand growing 21% — among the highest in tech. SRE and platform engineering roles command $200K+.

DevOps Engineer Salary Breakdown — San Francisco

PeriodEntry (25th)Median (50th)Top (90th)
Annual$147,250$201,500$302,250
Monthly$12,271$16,792$25,188
Weekly$2,832$3,875$5,813
Hourly$71$97$145

Based on 2080 working hours/year. Local figures derived from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics national median ($130,000) adjusted for San Francisco's cost-of-living multiplier (1.55×, sourced from BEA Regional Price Parities).

DevOps Engineer Take-Home Pay in San Francisco

After federal, state and FICA taxes — single filer, standard deduction.

Net Annual Take-Home
$138,874.55
Per month$11,573
Biweekly paycheck$5,341
Effective tax rate31.1%

Tax Breakdown on $201,500

Gross salary$201,500
Federal income tax−$37,703
California state tax−$11,082.5
FICA (Social Security + Medicare)−$13,839.95
Take-home (net)$138,874.55

Estimates assume single filer, standard deduction ($14,600 for 2026), no 401(k)/HSA/dependents. Actual take-home varies with deductions, dependents, and benefits elections. Not tax advice.

DevOps Engineer Salary by Experience — San Francisco

Career-stage progression for DevOps Engineers in San Francisco.

ExperienceAnnual Salary
0–1 yr$135,470
2–3 yr$147,250
4–6 yr$213,125
7–10 yr$279,000
11–15 yr$329,220
15+ yr$290,625

Curve derived from BLS percentile data adjusted for San Francisco's 1.55× cost-of-living multiplier. Highlighted row = 7–10 year experienced level.

Year-Over-Year Trend

+520.0% vs 2025

2025 median:$32,500
2026 median:$201,500
Change:+$169,000

Technology sector growth driven by demand for Kubernetes and Terraform.

Is This A Good Salary?

Solid above median

Real purchasing power lands comfortably above the national middle-class threshold once cost of living is factored in. Homeownership and meaningful retirement savings are achievable on a single income.

COL-Adjusted Purchasing Power
$82,582
Difficult on the median - the nominal salary masks how little real purchasing power remains after rent, taxes, and basic costs.

How to Negotiate Your DevOps Engineer Salary in San Francisco

Walk-away anchor: $175,217 (offers below this are below market for San Francisco).

Leverage Points

  • Reference levels.fyi total compensation data for your level (L4/L5/etc.) at comparable companies
  • Quantify recent shipped impact: latency reduced, revenue driven, on-call incidents resolved
  • Hold a competing offer (or credible interview pipeline) before the salary conversation
  • Highlight in-demand skill premiums: LLMs, Kubernetes, Rust, distributed systems

Beyond Base Salary, Negotiate

Sign-on bonus ($25K-$100K is standard at Big Tech)RSU refreshers and accelerated vesting cliffsRemote/hybrid flexibility and home-office stipendAnnual learning budget and conference allowanceSabbatical eligibility after 4-5 years

What To Say

"Based on levels.fyi data and what I'm seeing from comparable offers, total compensation for this level is closer to $X base plus equity. Can we close the gap on base or front-load the RSU grant?"

Anchor on $279K–$302K for experienced roles, citing San Francisco market data and your specific Kubernetes/Terraform expertise.

DevOps Engineer Salary FAQ — San Francisco

What is the average DevOps Engineer salary in San Francisco, CA?
The average DevOps Engineer salary in San Francisco is $201,500 per year as of April 2026 — $16,792/month, $3,875/week, or about $97/hour. Salaries range from $147,250 (entry, 25th percentile) up to $302,250 (experienced, 90th percentile). Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics adjusted for San Francisco's cost-of-living multiplier (1.55×).
Is $201,500 a good DevOps Engineer salary in San Francisco?
Solid above median. Real purchasing power lands comfortably above the national middle-class threshold once cost of living is factored in. Homeownership and meaningful retirement savings are achievable on a single income. San Francisco's cost-of-living index is 244 (vs 100 nationally), giving $201,500 a real purchasing power of approximately $82,582 in national terms. Difficult on the median - the nominal salary masks how little real purchasing power remains after rent, taxes, and basic costs.
Can you live on $201,500 in San Francisco?
Median pay is below HUD's low-income threshold for a family of four in some of these metros (notably San Francisco, where $104K qualifies as 'low income'). Raising a family on the median typically requires two earners, a long commute, or family help with housing. Spending 30% on rent is impossible at the median in this market - most workers spend 40-50% or take roommates well into their 30s. HUD classifies anything over 30% as 'cost-burdened' here. For San Francisco specifically (median home price $1,300,000), a $201,500 salary supports a comfortable lifestyle.
Is $201,500 enough for a single person in San Francisco?
A single adult in San Francisco typically needs ~$109,800 for a comfortable lifestyle (housing, food, transport, healthcare, modest savings). A $201,500 salary is well above that threshold — a single person can live comfortably with significant savings room.
Is $201,500 enough for a couple in San Francisco?
A couple (one earner) in San Francisco typically needs ~$175,680 for a comfortable lifestyle. A $201,500 salary as the sole household income is sufficient — enabling moderate housing, savings, and discretionary spending. Two earners at $201,500 each ($403,000 household) provides solid middle-class comfort.
Is $201,500 enough for a family of 4 in San Francisco?
A family of 4 (one earner) in San Francisco typically needs ~$268,400 for a comfortable middle-class lifestyle (housing for 4, childcare/school, food, healthcare, transport, savings). A $201,500 salary as the sole household income is below the comfortable threshold — most families need a second income or to live in cheaper suburbs/exurbs of San Francisco. Childcare costs in San Francisco typically run $37K-$68K per child per year.
What is the take-home pay for a DevOps Engineer in San Francisco?
On a $201,500 DevOps Engineer salary in San Francisco, CA, you take home approximately $138,874.55 per year ($11,573/month, $5,341 per biweekly paycheck) after taxes. Breakdown: federal $37,703, state $11,082.5, FICA $13,839.95. Effective tax rate: 31.1%. (Single filer, standard deduction, no other adjustments.)
How much do DevOps Engineers in San Francisco earn compared to the US average?
DevOps Engineers in San Francisco earn approximately 55% more than the US national median for this role ($130,000 nationally vs $201,500 in San Francisco). However, San Francisco's cost-of-living index of 244 means real purchasing power is approximately $82,582 when adjusted for local prices.
What does an entry-level DevOps Engineer earn in San Francisco?
Entry-level DevOps Engineers in San Francisco typically start at around $147,250 (0–2 years experience). With 5+ years, DevOps Engineers earn $279,000 or more. Top earners (90th percentile) reach $302,250+, typically at senior or lead levels with specialized skills.
Did DevOps Engineer salaries in San Francisco increase in 2026?
Yes — DevOps Engineer salaries in San Francisco grew approximately 520.0% year-over-year, from $32,500 in 2025 to $201,500 in 2026 (+$169,000). This reflects the broader Technology sector's compensation trend, driven by Kubernetes and Terraform demand.
What's the job outlook for DevOps Engineers in San Francisco?
DevOps engineer demand growing 21% — among the highest in tech. SRE and platform engineering roles command $200K+. San Francisco's top industries include Tech (FAANG, AI), Finance, Biotech, and the metro's current unemployment rate is 4.5% — steady demand for skilled workers.
What skills are most in demand for DevOps Engineers in 2026?
The hottest 2026 skills for DevOps Engineers are: Kubernetes, Terraform, AWS/GCP, Observability, Platform engineering, GitOps. ATS systems specifically scan for these keywords. Adding them to your resume — naturally and in context — significantly improves your match rate with employers in San Francisco.
Who are the top employers hiring DevOps Engineers in San Francisco?
Top employers hiring DevOps Engineers in or near San Francisco include: AWS, Google Cloud, Microsoft, Netflix, Uber, Airbnb. Most use ATS software (Workday, Greenhouse, Taleo, iCIMS) to screen resumes — meaning your resume must be ATS-optimized to even get a human reader.
How do I negotiate a higher DevOps Engineer salary in San Francisco?
Based on levels.fyi data and what I'm seeing from comparable offers, total compensation for this level is closer to $X base plus equity. Can we close the gap on base or front-load the RSU grant? Key leverage points for Technology negotiations: Reference levels.fyi total compensation data for your level (L4/L5/etc.) at comparable companies; Quantify recent shipped impact: latency reduced, revenue driven, on-call incidents resolved; Hold a competing offer (or credible interview pipeline) before the salary conversation. Beyond base salary, negotiate for: Sign-on bonus ($25K-$100K is standard at Big Tech), RSU refreshers and accelerated vesting cliffs, Remote/hybrid flexibility and home-office stipend, Annual learning budget and conference allowance.
How can I increase my DevOps Engineer salary in San Francisco?
Three highest-leverage moves: (1) Add 2026's hot skills (Kubernetes, Terraform, AWS/GCP) — they command 15-30% premiums. (2) Get a recognized certification (e.g., AWS Solutions Architect or Kubernetes (CKA/CKAD)). (3) Tailor your resume to each role's keywords — CVCraft's ATS scanner shows you exactly what's missing.
What education do I need to become a DevOps Engineer in San Francisco?
Bachelor's degree (or equivalent experience) is the typical path. However, San Francisco's competitive market increasingly values demonstrable skills, portfolios, and certifications alongside (or in place of) traditional degrees — particularly for Technology roles.

Methodology & Sources

DevOps Engineer salary figures for San Francisco are computed by adjusting the BLS national median ($130,000) by San Francisco's cost-of-living multiplier of 1.55× — a composite of regional wage data and price parities. Year-over-year change (520.0%) reflects the Technology sector's 2025-2026 wage growth per BLS Employment Cost Index trends. Last reviewed April 28, 2026.

Data Sources

Related Roles in San Francisco

Software Engineer →Data Scientist →Product Manager →Web Developer →Cybersecurity Analyst →Machine Learning Engineer →

DevOps Engineer Salary in Other Cities

Los Angeles, CA$166KSan Diego, CA$153KFresno, CA$124KSacramento, CA$140KLong Beach, CA$156KOakland, CA$182K

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